Senate Bill No. by Senator Luneau aims to amend the procedures related to planning commissions in Louisiana, specifically concerning the approval of plats. The bill stipulates that a planning commission must approve or disapprove a plat within sixty days of submission; if not, the plat is automatically deemed approved, and a certificate will be issued upon request. The applicant can waive this timeline and agree to an extension. Additionally, the reasons for disapproval must 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 via certified mail at least five days prior to the hearing date, and a public notice must be published in a local newspaper.

Furthermore, the bill retains the existing provisions regarding public hearings but removes 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 municipalities, regardless of population, will be required to follow the same procedures for public hearings on plat approvals. The new regulations will take effect on August 1, 2026.