Senate Bill No. 148, introduced by Senator Stine, amends R.S. 33:103(C)(1)(l) to authorize the governing authority of the city of Lake Charles to compensate members of its planning commission with a per diem for attending meetings. This bill adds Lake Charles to a list of specified municipalities that are permitted to pay their planning commission members, which includes other municipalities such as Addis, Arcadia, and Brusly. The rate of per diem and the number of meetings eligible for compensation will be determined by the governing authority of Lake Charles through an ordinance.

The bill retains the existing provisions of law that require members of planning commissions to serve without compensation, while allowing exceptions for certain municipalities. The proposed changes will take effect on August 1, 2026, thereby enabling the city of Lake Charles to provide financial compensation to its planning commission members for their service.

Statutes affected:
SB148 Original: 33:103(C)(1)
SB148 Engrossed: 33:103(C)(1)