Designates a portion of Louisiana Highway 3188 as the "Veterans Memorial Highway"
Summary
HB 167 is a commemorative roadway designation bill. It names the portion of Louisiana Highway 3188 in LaPlace, from Interstate 10 to U.S. Highway 61, as the "Veterans Memorial Highway." The measure does not change traffic rules, roadway jurisdiction, or transportation policy; it simply assigns an honorary title to a defined segment of state highway.
The bill also directs the Department of Transportation and Development to erect and maintain signage reflecting the designation, but only if local or private funds are provided to cover the department’s actual costs for materials, fabrication, mounting posts, and installation. The cost for each sign is capped at $550, making the fiscal impact limited and contingent on outside funding.
Impact
HB 167 affects Louisiana transportation law only in a narrow, symbolic way by adding an official honorary designation to a segment of Highway 3188 in St. John the Baptist Parish. It requires the Department of Transportation and Development to install and maintain signs for the designation, but only when reimbursed by local or private monies, so it does not create a direct state funding obligation. The bill primarily impacts state highway signage practices, local supporters who may fund the signs, and travelers using the LaPlace corridor.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the House 86-0 and the Senate 36-0, indicating unanimous approval in both chambers. The absence of committee transcript discussion also suggests it was treated as a routine honorary designation measure, likely viewed favorably as a tribute to veterans without any significant policy dispute.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention around HB 167. The only practical issue embedded in the bill is the requirement that local or private monies cover the cost of signage before the Department of Transportation and Development installs it, which limits state expense and may have been included to avoid budget concerns. Otherwise, the measure is a symbolic naming bill, and the unanimous votes suggest no recorded opposition from legislators or affected parties.