This bill amends various sections of Louisiana's Revised Statutes to modernize surveying and mapping standards, particularly through the establishment of new definitions and the Louisiana Plane Coordinate System. It introduces legal language defining terms such as "geodetic coordinate," "geodetic datum," and "state plane coordinate system," while also updating references to current standards. The bill delineates three projection zones—North Zone, South Zone, and Statewide Zone—along with their geographic boundaries, and it mandates the phasing out of the outdated Louisiana Coordinate System of 1927 and 1983 upon the release of the National Spatial Reference System of 2022.

Furthermore, the bill includes provisions for the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to collaborate with the Louisiana State University Center for GeoInformatics to restore service to Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS). It establishes defined zones for the South Zone and Offshore Zone, specifying the parishes included and the area within two hundred miles of the coastline. The bill also sets accuracy requirements for surveys and maps, designating the state Department of Transportation and Development as the overseeing agency, and repeals existing vertical control standards in favor of updated references to the National Spatial Reference System. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the clarity and effectiveness of Louisiana's surveying practices.

Statutes affected:
HB642 Original:
HB642 Engrossed:
HB642 Enrolled:
HB642 Act 626: