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LouisianaSB 2202025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

LOCAL AGENCIES: Provides for the revision of statutes relating to local agencies. (8/1/25) (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)

Sponsored By: Stewart Cathey Jr. (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Municipal, Parochial and Cultural AffairsLocal and Municipal Affairs

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

9 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 5 mixed.

Governor can fill long-vacant local chief jobs

Beginning August 1, 2025, the governor can appoint police or fire chiefs in municipalities with 45,001 to 48,000 residents. The latest federal decennial census controls, and the vacancy must last more than 12 consecutive months. Local officials must have failed or declined to confirm an appointment submitted under the municipal home rule charter. Appointees must come from the certified competitive list, have the mayor’s or local governing authority’s recommendation, and meet applicable qualifications. They begin a working test period, and the appointment provision applies retroactively to June 1, 2023.

Local governments can form new districts

Beginning August 1, 2025, Louisiana municipalities and parishes can create districts and commissions within their boundaries by ordinance. Existing districts and commissions remain in place under their existing authorizing laws or ordinances. The law also repeals R.S. 33:130.621.1 entirely. The provided text does not explain that section’s contents, so the repeal’s household effects are unclear.

Local governments must drain roads beside levees

Beginning August 1, 2025, local governments must thoroughly drain public roads running parallel to or beside public levees. They must cut needed ditches across these roads and connect them to ditches on adjoining private property. The law sets no household charge or funding amount.

Unauthorized drainage limits property owners’ claims

Beginning August 1, 2025, stopping or limiting unauthorized drainage into a public system is not a compensable property taking. This applies when no natural drainage right or other legal right authorizes the drainage. Local governments and districts also have immunity for damage to their public works caused by excessive, unlawful drainage. These rules limit claims against local authorities; they do not remove rights for legally authorized drainage.

Broader drainage powers affect nearby property owners

Beginning August 1, 2025, local governments and drainage authorities gain control over selected public drainage channels within their districts. Their legal right to use and control land extends 100 feet along both banks and beyond channel mouths. They can set rules to keep drainage working, but taking or damaging property requires a public purpose and just compensation. Outside Orleans Parish, local governments can also acquire needed drainage land and improvements outside regularly organized, active levee districts. This includes land for excavated material, construction, inspection, repair, and maintenance, using the existing property-taking process.

Drain-blocking dumping brings fines for violators

Beginning August 1, 2025, people cannot dump or allow material into local drains that might interfere with drainage. The rule protects drainage systems, while convicted violators face fines of $25 to $300 if the local government requests enforcement. Courts must send collected fines to that local government.

Failing sewer utilities can skip public votes

Beginning August 1, 2025, a municipal sewer utility can be sold or leased without an election after repeated pollution violations. It must exceed final pollution limits in its state discharge permit for at least three consecutive quarters, as reported through NetDMR. Officials must formally find that financial, management, or technical limits prevent restoring compliance. Otherwise, transfers of sewer district facilities to private owners remain subject to the election rule. For utility transactions subject to an election, a petition meeting the 20% threshold requires officials to call an election within 50 days. That threshold equals 20% of those who voted in the most recent election. Each purchase or lease proposal requires a $10,000 certified good-faith check, forfeited if the proponent fails to complete the transaction.

New Orleans redirects money toward stormwater

Beginning August 1, 2025, New Orleans must use covered camera-enforcement revenue only for stormwater drainage infrastructure, maintenance, and improvements. This covers automated speed devices outside Orleans Parish school zones, mobile speed cameras, and red-light cameras. The law also states that the city has no obligation to fund sewer system operations and maintenance. It sets no new household charge or sewer rate.

Water utility transfers can skip public votes

Beginning August 1, 2025, a municipality can sell or lease its water utility without an election after a D or F grade. Officials must formally find that financial, management, or technical limits prevent restoring a C or better under state drinking-water grading rules. The law permits a transfer; it does not require one or set customer rates. Eligible local governments generally need majority voter approval to sell or lease revenue-producing utility property, including franchises, for up to 60 years. Water-property transfers to another municipality, parish, or political subdivision need no election. A municipality can also negotiate selling connections and installations outside its borders to the other jurisdiction without an election.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Stewart Cathey Jr.

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 277 • No: 1

Senate vote • 6/12/2025

Conference Committee Report read; adopted by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays.

Yes: 36 • No: 0

House vote • 6/12/2025

Conference Committee Report read, roll called, yeas 93, nays 0. The Conference Committee Report was adopted.

Yes: 93 • No: 0

House vote • 6/9/2025

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 99, nays 1. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 99 • No: 1

House vote • 6/4/2025

Reported with amendments

Yes: 12 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/20/2025

Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 37 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 452.

    6/20/2025Senate

  2. Effective date 8/1/2025.

    6/20/2025Senate

  3. Signed by the Speaker of the House.

    6/13/2025House

  4. Conference Committee Report read; adopted by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays.

    6/12/2025Senate

  5. Conference Committee report received. Lies over under the rules.

    6/12/2025House

  6. Rules suspended.

    6/12/2025House

  7. Conference Committee Report read, roll called, yeas 93, nays 0. The Conference Committee Report was adopted.

    6/12/2025House

  8. Notice of Senate adoption of Conference Committee Report.

    6/12/2025House

  9. Notice House adopted the Conference Committee Report.

    6/12/2025Senate

  10. Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate on 6/13/2025.

    6/12/2025Senate

  11. Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate on 6/13/2025.

    6/12/2025Senate

  12. Notice of Senate conferees appointed.

    6/11/2025House

  13. House conferees appointed: Echols, Gadberry, and Miller.

    6/11/2025House

  14. Notice House Conference Committee members appointed.

    6/11/2025Senate

  15. Notice of Senate rejecting House amendments.

    6/10/2025House

  16. Senate conference committee members appointed: Cathey, Morris, and Seabaugh.

    6/10/2025Senate

  17. Read by title, returned to the calendar.

    6/9/2025House

  18. Called from the calendar.

    6/9/2025House

  19. Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 99, nays 1. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

    6/9/2025House

  20. Received from the House with amendments.

    6/9/2025Senate

  21. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

    6/8/2025House

  22. Rules suspended.

    6/8/2025House

  23. Read by title, amended, passed to 3rd reading.

    6/8/2025House

  24. Scheduled for floor debate on 06/09/2025.

    6/8/2025House

  25. Reported with amendments (12-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    6/4/2025House

Bill Text

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