[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6226138,"mediaKeyId","3515978-e561dacd6a37d19f7e9e8caf315fcd6a","parentId",3515978,"title","Committee adopts amendment and reports public‑works contract bill with changes","audioSeconds",265,"startMs",1843000,"endMs",2108000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3515978-e561dacd6a37d19f7e9e8caf315fcd6a&start=1843&end=2108","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3515978-e561dacd6a37d19f7e9e8caf315fcd6a/thumbnail_1843000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6226138/Louisiana/Committee-adopts-amendment-and-reports-publicworks-contract-bill-with-changes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6226138-ed008ad807bcafda7524db9454bc5952/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172985&Signature=WDRLhSYekuSzrEXYNChE8B1D6GYEM-z5kuHOPijxQwmxOtTn~EQH~1Iuv10wfCvf3HRrpm~xBoRQuXhp7h5pN7cONytCG2d3RiuXa5dnQmfbT8N7-nZgtessqW7reqZWPqbOelBsAc1uEqwgkclFOp~y74c9tZeUN5BzRSKqfSSxEKugnnpFRl3CrB2LGYqxYMfhPBnZVIq-cyyiA9MZaAuzhjpufP-l63hboUISJrjFapddOCtG~jtXpCmHM~9ax~GG6CI1MQ8u~H-VECxTdZuBX3cFpWdT8JVi-0jpL6K4sZ4JGM0alA41wHBjeJ6yptniCisFwU-obs3jbTOunw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-05-27T00:00:00Z","article","The House Transportation Committee on May 27 reported Senate Bill 166 with amendments after adopting language that narrows state attendance obligations at local pre‑construction meetings for public works projects.

Ms. Williams, presenting the amendments on behalf of the absent author, Senator Glenn Womack, described two changes (amendment set 33‑13) to avoid requiring state agencies to attend every local pre‑construction meeting. The adopted amendment deletes a requirement for an agency to be physically present and instead requires notice to the appropriate state entity.

Ms. Williams said disaster‑recovery experience showed that requiring state agency presence at each local meeting would be impractical. The amendment was offered by Representative Tarver; the committee adopted the amendment by voice vote. Representative Chasson then moved to report the bill with amendments; the committee reported the bill favorably with amendments.

Committee staff said a second amendment set related to vendor payments for stockpiled materials will likely be revisited in rulemaking or at a later date because adopting it now might alter the original intent of the bill. Support cards were filed by engineering and contracting organizations and local officials; Secretary Donahue and other DOTD officials were available to provide information on request.

The amendment narrows the bill’s procedural reach while keeping its substantive aims — refining contract requirements for public works — under further review by committee and sponsors.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Transportation May 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 166, which revises public‑works contract requirements, was reported with amendments May 27 after the committee adopted an amendment to require notice to state entities rather than mandatory agency attendance at every local pre‑construction meeting.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature LA, Louisiana","taxId",78558,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6226142,"Committee reports bill allowing A+B bidding as an option for DOTD contracts",269,1567000,1836000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3515978-e561dacd6a37d19f7e9e8caf315fcd6a&start=1567&end=1836","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3515978-e561dacd6a37d19f7e9e8caf315fcd6a/thumbnail_1567000.jpg","/articles/6226142/Louisiana/Committee-reports-bill-allowing-AB-bidding-as-an-option-for-DOTD-contracts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6226142-8286c32b86d56a6722b85c9414607fa0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172985&Signature=I7~oR4Ndb2xtg3HA4RLMxrmCoPECaZpmcNfGg2kLrl0tDNnlSTpR1pDRdlIgkxyDW7NZhYpxxHkx2fJFTGA4gdFRQ7V4xgphsEWoKEb6x-tnc9seaByHVv28L9HJG4RfShrBK8GpZLt1bb7xMeJZ7fpAWhqUFJA2o0aXvLTOoKGh~8HSx0BW1YcGV2Zn4ifZbh1kJAblVBIu20q0UlhYaxNw1utxH4Pz3UZLxTstyDV~P1727Wgab9zWuNhaDFeW~3Xa1hcZAZPUZdy4E4j5EdYpGCLUcP0lAI4d8Pi2D69TgQB46cG88FkrJTwKp7X4VpSXVspKb5xksNHa0McbDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Transportation Committee on May 27 voted to report Senate Bill 216 favorably, a proposal to add A+B bidding as an option in Title 48 for Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) projects so that contract awards can consider both cost and completion time.

Senator Hodges, the bill’s author, described the approach: “A is cost, B is time.” She said A+B bidding would be an additional tool for DOTD — not a requirement — intended to incentivize contractors to finish projects faster at efficient prices.

Supporters at the hearing framed the change as a way to reduce long project durations and traffic impacts. Representative Chamblehorn said construction slowdowns since the COVID period have extended timelines and that tighter time incentives could speed completion. Senator Hodges said some projects in her district had been under contract for many years and argued A+B bidding would push for timelier work.

Committee paperwork and supporters included representatives from contracting associations and DOTD officials; Secretary Donahue provided information to the committee. The committee moved and ordered the bill reported favorably; no objections were raised.

The bill’s proponents emphasized it does not compel DOTD to use A+B scoring on every project but to consider it as another procurement method alongside existing approaches such as low‑bid, design‑build and public‑private partnerships. No amendments were adopted in committee testimony, and supporters said they will continue discussions with DOTD and contractors on implementation details.","Senate Bill 216, which would allow Department of Transportation and Development contractors to be evaluated on cost (A) and time (B) in bid awards, was reported favorably May 27 after proponents said the method encourages faster completion without mandating its use.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6226146,"Committee reports bill to create inland water coordination authority",1453,94000,1547000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3515978-e561dacd6a37d19f7e9e8caf315fcd6a&start=94&end=1547","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3515978-e561dacd6a37d19f7e9e8caf315fcd6a/thumbnail_94000.jpg","/articles/6226146/Louisiana/Committee-reports-bill-to-create-inland-water-coordination-authority","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6226146-69f629a7a3c359ca585f8e2cdb753401/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172985&Signature=UjBbim6yavD3rf45kYDJ6WUsR~fj944fiSnz5O3B7qtBb6jmQodPB8-LtN0yG88q3Rav1chWlk6ThxWqV5GymDQVtFtQ5XyIGKphggWtJQi5ELA4gc7J1EzZZHc8RBxUSisp7w5Z9YeD20n1RjbK8ujadFK1GoXlsaJIX3AEWlArDOiRoHiimuQ-e2Lvcg4LjN6Hd8bHB7OErHBgZ1GdGiOSCvjjZ7VAEjSljZk4PxNUsGQPYkbjcMsvyGXYrlWjpiMCVluO4PHz-rG-mCFIJYg578y8RWvUIZl2l3zbTKxHZkYIpHOMtyGFqhPMcghl8C6OS7o0T9Vg5r8n3ajQZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Transportation Committee voted May 27 to report Senate Bill 97 favorably, a measure authorizing a voluntary inland water coordination authority intended to help non‑coastal parishes plan river, levee and watershed projects for navigation, recreation and economic development.

The bill’s author, Senator Presley, told the committee, “We know that there are 2 main issues for economic development, that we're gonna face over the next 50 years. It's water and power.” The proposal would form a coordinating framework to compile planning data and help secure federal and state funding for multi‑parish projects.

Proponents said the authority is meant to create a planning arm that complements existing local entities rather than supplant them. Dustin Davidson, deputy secretary at the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, said the bill “does not take away any jurisdiction or supersede any other commission, port, municipality, public, political subdivision.” Steven Swiber, the state's chief resilience officer, described Louisiana’s coastal program as “truly a model program for the rest of the country” and said the bill seeks to replicate those planning and federal‑funding advantages for upland watersheds.

Opponents urged narrower language and stronger safeguards for private property and ecological protection. Matthew Allen, representing North Shore River Watch, said the measure “risks doing more harm than good, especially in regions like Saint Tammany Parish,” and asked for required baseline studies, stronger scientific justification, and longer public notice periods for large projects.

Committee members pressed for clarity on scope and authority. Representative Wiley asked whether the measure would affect entities that already have basin or levee structures; Davidson pointed to a clause in the draft (page 22) making clear the chapter “shall not be construed to diminish, impair, or impair the constitutional, statutory, or contractual authority of any levee district, drainage district, navigation district, [or] port commission operating within the upland area.” Senator Presley and staff said participation would be voluntary and the group’s deliverable would be an annual master plan submitted to the Department of Natural Resources and to the legislature.

Representative Chasson moved to report the bill favorably; no objections were raised and the committee ordered the bill reported favorably.

Supporters and opponents in testimony asked the committee to clarify (1) whether the authority would add permitting layers (proponents said it would not), (2) how members would be selected and chaired (the governor would appoint the chair from available members), and (3) public‑notice timelines (opponents requested extending notice from seven–10 days to 21–30 days for major projects). The committee indicated staff and stakeholders would continue work on notice and representation details during the legislative process.

Less critical details: speakers noted the bill is focused on non‑coastal parishes and is intended to help make projects shovel‑ready when federal funding becomes available; no new taxing authority was identified in committee testimony.","The House Transportation Committee on May 27 reported Senate Bill 97 favorably, a proposal to create a voluntary coordinating authority for inland water resources to support navigation, recreation and economic development while preserving local jurisdictions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee adopts amendment and reports public‑works contract bill with changes

Committee reports bill allowing A+B bidding as an option for DOTD contracts

Committee reports bill to create inland water coordination authority