Senate Bill No. 172, introduced by Senator Luneau, aims to amend the procedures related to planning commissions in Louisiana, specifically regarding the approval of plats. The bill enacts new provisions under R.S. 33:113(A) and (B), which stipulate that a planning commission must approve or disapprove a plat within sixty days of submission; if not, the plat is automatically deemed approved. The applicant can waive this timeline and consent to an extension. Additionally, the bill requires that the grounds for disapproval be recorded, and any submitted plat must include the name and address of a person to receive notice of the hearing. Notice of the hearing must be sent by certified mail at least five days prior, and the commission must publish a notice in a local newspaper.

Furthermore, the bill modifies existing law by removing the exception that allowed planning commissions in municipalities with populations over 150,000 to waive public hearings for subdivisions creating five or fewer lots without new streets. This change means that all subdivisions, regardless of the municipality's size, will require a public hearing unless otherwise specified. The bill emphasizes that any approved plat will be considered an amendment to the official plan and will not imply public acceptance of any streets or open spaces shown on the plat. The new provisions are set to take effect on August 1, 2026.