LOUISIANA (KLFY) — Beginning August 1, Louisiana will see new laws take effect. Laws impacting education, crime and bringing an official role to the Secretary of State’s office will bring about changes.

Act 185 designates the Secretary of State as the official Protocol Officer for the State of Louisiana, providing resources for other agencies and elected officials in the state regarding relations with other countries.

“It’s something we had been informally doing anyway, and so it’s not anything new, said Landry. “It’s just going to allow us to be recognized as the official protocol officer of the state, and we will provide that service to other agencies.”

Landry spoke with News 10, saying the new law indicates the secretary of state will actively seek contacts with officials in other countries that the state of Louisiana desires to have active trade, cultural or educational relationships with. Landry says her office is not unfamiliar with the role, but the new law makes it official. She says her office hopes to be a resource to the Louisiana Economic Development Agency for countries that plan to visit the state and are looking for trade opportunities.

“Most foreign dignitaries who come to Louisiana are looking for trade opportunities, and we have many trade opportunities with our agricultural products and oil and gas. We’re the leader in energy and liquid natural gas in particular,” she said. “And so many countries are looking to develop trade relationships with us in those areas.”

Landry says that because Louisiana is unique in language, food, music and culture, other countries are interested in what the state has to offer and the trade opportunities available.

“So some of the things that they’ve suggested in the past, or sister city relationships where we exchange students, and some students will go study in a foreign country, that country will then send students to Louisiana to study,” she said.

Landry says it allows her office to provide that service to agencies and be a central figure for them to get the resources they need when meeting with dignitaries from other countries.

“So, it’s just somewhere we had a little bit of a gap in Louisiana,” she said. “I wanted to fill that gap, and we’ve been doing it informally, and we wanted to just formally recognize it in the law.”

She says the new law is a good thing as it will allow Louisiana to officially continue maintaining and building relationships with countries that are mutually beneficial.

“This is a feel-good law,” said Landry. “We are excited about this, and like I said, it’s just an opportunity for us to be a resource and to serve our state more. And that’s what we were looking to do.”

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