Removes the designated deadline the board of the Amite River Basin Drainage and Water Conservation District has to promulgate regulations for watershed management within the district
Summary
HB 165 amends Louisiana law governing the Amite River Basin Drainage and Water Conservation District by removing the specific deadline for the district board to promulgate watershed management regulations. Under prior law, the board was required to adopt those regulations before January 1, 2026; the bill deletes that date so the duty remains in place without a fixed cutoff. The measure does not create a new program or expand the district’s powers beyond this timing change, but it preserves the board’s authority and obligation to regulate watershed management within the district.
In practical terms, the bill gives the Amite River Basin Drainage and Water Conservation District more flexibility to complete rulemaking on watershed management without risking expiration of the statutory deadline. The affected statute is R.S. 38:3306(A)(2), which sets out the board’s general powers and duties. The change primarily affects the district board and any landowners, local governments, and other stakeholders subject to watershed management regulations in the basin.
Impact
HB 165 changes a single provision in Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 38 by striking the January 1, 2026 deadline for the Amite River Basin Drainage and Water Conservation District board to promulgate watershed management regulations. The board’s regulatory duty remains intact, but the timing requirement is removed, allowing the district to continue rulemaking beyond the prior deadline without needing additional legislative action.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support for the bill in both chambers, with a 95-0 House vote and a 37-0 Senate vote on final passage. No committee transcript or recorded floor debate was provided, so there is no evidence of opposition in the materials supplied. Overall, the bill appears to have been viewed as a straightforward administrative adjustment rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the record provided. The only substantive issue is whether the district should remain bound to a fixed deadline for watershed-management rulemaking or be allowed more time; the bill resolves that by removing the deadline. Because the votes were unanimous and no committee discussion is included, no organized opposition or competing viewpoint is evident from the available materials.