Removes borrowing cap and city obligation backing for bonds issued by the Vidalia Port Commission.

Key Provisions: 

- Eliminates the $15 million limit on outstanding bonds or notes issued by the Vidalia Port Commission. 

- Removes the provision making these bonds a general obligation of the commission and repeals the pledge of Vidalia's full faith and credit. 

- Retains authority to pledge revenues and receive outside funding for debt security. 

- Effective upon governor’s signature.

Creates the Reserve Fund in the state treasury to hold funds set aside by the legislature.

Key Provisions: 

- Establishes the Reserve Fund as a special fund. 

- Allows deposits from legislative transfers, donations, or appropriations. 

- Retains unspent and unencumbered balances at the end of each fiscal year. 

- Requires legislative appropriation to withdraw any money from the fund. 

- Interest earned stays in the fund. 

- Effective upon governor’s signature.

SENATE floor amendments [LINK] require elected municipal officials and certain municipal employees involved in procurement activities or public contracts to complete at least one hour of annual training on procurement and public contracting. The training will be provided by the legislative auditor (who may contract with another entity), cover public bid law and contract procedures, and be available online. The legislative auditor must maintain records certifying completion.

Requires training for local officials and employees who manage cooperative endeavor agreements related to public contracts.

Key Provisions: 

- Applies to municipal elected officials and employees involved in managing, tracking, or ensuring compliance with cooperative endeavor agreements. 

- Training must cover contract payments, timing, interest, out-of-scope costs, and change orders. 

- Training may be provided by state agencies, associations, or groups and may be web-based. 

- Effective upon governor’s signature.

SENATE floor amendments [LINK] change the effective date of training requirements for certain officials and employees to July 1, 2026, and clarify that the Act will take effect immediately upon signature by the governor or upon the time for bills to become law without the governor's signature.

SENATE committee amendments [LINK] specify that the annual procurement and public contracts training for municipal elected officials and certain municipal employees must be at least one hour, provided by the legislative auditor or contracted entities. They clarify who must complete the training—those involved directly in procurement activities or contract management—and require the legislative auditor to document training completion. Additionally, they condition implementation on legislative funding.

Establishes standardized procedures and oversight for public works contracts involving state funds and local governments.

Key Provisions: 

- Requires the Division of Administration to issue contract guidance for local governments using state funds. 

- Mandates preconstruction meetings to set expectations, designate a project contact, and agree on payment and documentation procedures. 

- Requires the Division of Administration and DOTD to create software by Jan. 1, 2026, for tracking payments and project timelines; use is mandatory for funded entities. 

- Requires training for municipal officials and staff involved in cooperative endeavor agreements on contract payments, timing, and project changes. 

- Training can be provided by the state or associations and may be web-based. 

- Effective July 1, 2025.

HOUSE committee amendments technical

SENATE committee amendments technical

Establishes a 10-year liberative prescription period for the state to collect payments due under mineral leases.

Key Provisions: 

- Applies to bonuses, rentals, royalties, shut-in payments, and other sums owed to the state as lessor under state mineral leases. 

- Overrides the standard 3-year prescription period that applies to private royalty disputes. 

- Grants the state 10 years from the due date of each payment to collect amounts owed. 

- Effective August 1, 2025.

SENATE floor amendments [LINK] correct the name "Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors of Louisiana," remove the requirement that plumbing board members be "active," clarify language regarding board member residency, and specify that each appointment must comply with residency requirements individually.

Updates the composition, leadership, and procedural rules of the State Plumbing Board and revises licensing and advisory committee provisions.

Key Provisions: 

- Expands the board to include five master plumbers (up from three), one journeyman plumber (down from three), and clarifies that master plumber appointees must be the responsible master plumber for their company. 

- Adds nomination sources: master and journeyman plumbers are to be appointed from lists provided by specific trade associations. 

- Clarifies that public members must not work in the construction industry. 

- Board members serve six-year terms and remain until successors are appointed. 

- Moves officer election date from July 1 to August 1 in odd-numbered years. 

- Chair and vice chair must be active, responsible master plumbers. 

- Clarifies licensing requirements for individuals doing plumbing work in one- and two-family dwellings. 

- Renames the Louisiana Association of Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors to the Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors of Louisiana. 

- Effective upon governor’s signature.