Reforms the organizational structure for the Department of Transportation and Development including its duties, powers, and responsibilities of officers and employees (EN INCREASE SD EX See Note)
HB 528 reorganizes the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) by restructuring its internal offices, redefining officer titles and duties, and shifting certain authorities to the governor and the secretary. The bill adds a new office of transformation and an office of project delivery, renames and refocuses the existing planning function as project delivery, and revises the roles of the deputy secretary, undersecretary, chief engineer, and other assistant secretaries. It also transfers the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction to the governor’s office within the executive branch structure.
The measure directs the office of transformation to drive efficiency reforms across DOTD, including annual performance metrics, project prioritization methods, standardized project selection templates, district-level handling of routine pavement preservation work, and greater outsourcing of routine maintenance where appropriate. It also requires broader data-management modernization, reforms to the access permit process, and department-wide changes to project development and vendor payment practices by June 30, 2026. The bill further limits what may be charged to the capital budget, requires more detailed budget itemization, and authorizes the secretary to eliminate unnecessary positions consistent with civil service rules.
HB 528 amends multiple provisions of Louisiana’s executive-branch and transportation statutes, especially Title 36 and the laws governing DOTD’s organization and powers. It changes the composition of the department, creates new offices and duties, revises appointment authority for key officials, and removes or repurposes functions previously assigned to the office of planning. It also expands the secretary’s authority over staffing, budgeting, interagency agreements, and enforcement in state construction zones, while assigning the office of transformation a formal role in departmental restructuring and operational oversight. The bill affects DOTD employees, contractors, project delivery processes, budgeting practices, and the administration of highway, bridge, public works, and related transportation programs.
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial in the recorded votes. It passed the House 96-0, the Senate 35-0, and the House again 96-0 on concurrence, indicating unanimous or near-unanimous legislative approval. With no committee transcript provided, there is no recorded debate in the supplied materials, but the vote history suggests strong consensus around the need for DOTD reorganization and efficiency reforms.
No formal opposition is reflected in the available voting record, and no committee discussion was provided showing objections. The most likely areas of policy sensitivity are the bill’s consolidation of authority within DOTD, the governor’s role in appointing certain officials, the directive to eliminate positions deemed unnecessary, and the emphasis on privatization and outsourcing of routine functions. Budget treatment, civil service implications, and the reassignment of planning functions to project delivery may also have been points of concern, but none are documented in the supplied materials.