This bill amends several sections of Louisiana's Revised Statutes concerning the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) by establishing new offices and modifying existing roles to enhance operational efficiency. Notably, it creates the Office of Transformation and the Office of Project Delivery, while eliminating the Office of Planning. The bill also changes the appointing authority for certain officials, assigns specific powers to the assistant secretary for project delivery, and grants the secretary the ability to eliminate unnecessary positions and collaborate with other state agencies to improve transportation infrastructure.

Additionally, the bill removes the requirement for the assistant secretary to be a licensed engineer and allows for the delegation of duties to a senior staff member. It shifts the focus of the department from "planning" to "project delivery" and ensures that responsibilities related to federal rail safety programs remain under the Office of Project Delivery. The new Office of Transformation will implement strategies to enhance efficiency, including developing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and reforming the access permit process. Overall, these changes aim to streamline DOTD operations and improve the effectiveness 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)
HB528 Reengrossed: 36:501(C)(1), 36:502(A), 36:508(A), 36:2(A), 36:3(A)(2)
HB528 Re-Reengrossed: 36:501(C)(1), 36:502(A), 36:508(A), 36:2(A), 36:3(A)(2)
HB528 Enrolled: 36:501(C)(1), 36:502(A), 36:508(A), 36:2(A), 36:3(A)(2)
HB528 Act : 36:501(C)(1), 36:502(A), 36:508(A), 36:2(A), 36:3(A)(2)