House Bill No. 648, introduced by Representative Bourriaque, proposes a comprehensive restructuring of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. The bill establishes new offices, including the Office of Transformation and the Office of Project Delivery, while eliminating the Office of Planning and the chief engineer position. It introduces the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction and creates nine district offices under the Office of Operations, each led by a district administrator. The bill also modifies the roles of department officials, transferring the appointing authority for certain positions to the governor and empowering the deputy secretary to oversee the Office of Transformation and perform duties in the absence of the assistant secretary for project delivery.

Key provisions of the bill include the requirement for the assistant secretary to maximize privatization of services and the establishment of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure departmental performance by January 1, 2026. Additionally, the legislation prohibits the use of the Transportation Trust Fund for costs associated with employees, effective July 1, 2026, ensuring that the budget focuses on construction-related expenses. Overall, the bill aims to streamline operations within the DOTD, enhance accountability, and improve the delivery of transportation and public works services in Louisiana.

Statutes affected:
HB528 Original: 36:501(B), 36:502(A), 36:504(A)(2), 36:506(A), 36:508(A), 36:2(A), 36:3(A)(2)