Senators on the Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs on April 15 reported favorable three local bills that would raise or remove statutory limits on outstanding negotiable bonds for small Mississippi River ports in northeast Louisiana, and in one case allow a port to buy property outside its district.

Proponents — including port managers and sponsoring senators — told the committee the bills would give ports more capacity to accelerate projects prioritized for reimbursement by the Joint Transportation Committee and to keep agricultural product moving when river levels drop.

The bills presented were Senate Bill 144, offered by Chairman Womack, which would remove a present-law prohibition capping outstanding negotiable bonds or notes at $15,000,000; Senate Bill 147, by Senator Jackson Andrews, to increase bonding capacity for the Tensas (Tensaw) Parish Port so it can start multiple projects; and Senate Bill 146, also by Jackson Andrews, to lift limits for Lake Providence Port and to allow the port to purchase property outside the port district.

Bryant Killen, Executive Director of the Lake Providence Port Commission (also managing other nearby ports through cooperative endeavor agreements), told the committee the ports are agricultural ports that handle grain and other farm products and that some ports have industrial tenants. Killen said low river levels in recent years have caused ports to effectively shut down during harvest and that increased bonding authority could accelerate projects and create alternative transport options, including rail projects under consideration across several parishes.

Committee members asked about the kinds of cargo handled, how the ports are organized, and whether consolidating management would be stronger. Killen and Senator Jackson Andrews described existing cooperative management and a Northeast Louisiana Multimodal District that brings the parishes together while allowing local oversight. Senator Koenig pressed whether consolidation would improve the ports; proponents said the ports already coordinate management while preserving local control.

On procedure, Senator Luna moved favorably on SB 144; Senator Jenkins moved favorable reports for SB 147 and SB 146. The committee announced each bill "reported favorable" with no recorded roll-call vote in the transcript.

Why it matters: Sponsors said the bills would help ports move agricultural product and support industrial tenants, reduce delays caused by low river stages and allow the ports to accelerate prioritized infrastructure projects.

Votes at a glance

- SB 144 (remove $15,000,000 cap on outstanding negotiable bonds/notes): motion moved by Senator Luna; outcome: reported favorable (committee report).
- SB 147 (Tensas Parish Port: increase bond capacity to accelerate projects): motion moved by Senator Jenkins; outcome: reported favorable (committee report).
- SB 146 (Lake Providence Port: increase bond capacity; authorization to buy property outside port district): motion moved by Senator Jenkins; outcome: reported favorable (committee report).

The committee took no additional formal actions on the bills beyond reporting them favorable. Public comment/forms in the record included informational cards from port association representatives and local port managers; no local opposition was recorded in the transcript.