Creates the Coordinated Use of Resources for Recreation, Economy, Navigation, and Transportation Authority. (8/1/25) (EN INCREASE SD EX See Note)
SB 97 creates the Coordinated Use of Resources for Recreation, Economy, Navigation, and Transportation Authority, a new state entity within the Department of Transportation and Development and the office of public works. The authority is designed to be the single coordinating body for prioritizing, planning, funding, and implementing flood control, risk reduction, navigation, water resource management, and related infrastructure projects in Louisiana’s noncoastal or “upland” areas. The bill defines the upland area as all land outside the coastal zone and establishes a policy framework aimed at integrating flood protection, infrastructure planning, economic development, recreation, and water management.
The bill creates both a board and an executive director for the authority, sets membership categories for the board, and requires the development of a master plan and annual plan subject to public hearings and legislative approval. It gives the authority broad powers to coordinate with state agencies, local governments, levee and drainage districts, ports, and federal agencies; to accept grants; to enter contracts; to approve and rank infrastructure projects; to use alternative contracting methods; and to enforce compliance with the approved plans. It also establishes an emergency project process, an appeals process for denied projects, and public meeting livestreaming and archiving requirements for the board.
SB 97 also amends existing flood-control and water-management statutes to align them with the new authority. It updates provisions governing the Department of Transportation and Development, the Louisiana Water Resources Program, flood insurance compliance, flood data management, drainage interference enforcement, infrastructure priority programs, and the duties of the chief resilience officer. In particular, it assigns the new authority a coordinating role for statewide flood mitigation and upland-area projects, while preserving the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s role in the coastal zone.
The overall sentiment reflected in the voting history is strongly favorable. The bill passed the Senate 37-0, passed the House 100-1, and then concurred in the Senate 39-0, indicating broad bipartisan support and little recorded opposition. No committee transcript was provided, so there is no detailed discussion record to identify specific arguments, but the overwhelming votes suggest the bill was viewed as a major organizational and planning measure rather than a controversial policy shift.
The main points of potential contention are structural rather than ideological: the bill centralizes significant authority in a new board, gives that board superseding jurisdiction over integrated upland projects, and allows it to influence or withhold funding for projects that do not comply with the master plan. It also creates a new statewide planning and approval layer that could affect local governments, levee districts, ports, and other political subdivisions. At the same time, the bill includes language preserving existing local and district authority where possible, which appears intended to reduce conflict over jurisdiction and autonomy.
SB 97 substantially revises Louisiana law by creating a new statutory chapter in Title 38 establishing the Coordinated Use of Resources for Recreation, Economy, Navigation, and Transportation Authority and Board, and by amending multiple flood-control, water-resources, and resilience statutes to incorporate that entity. It shifts statewide planning and coordination for noncoastal flood control, inland navigation, and related infrastructure to the new authority, while leaving coastal responsibilities with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. The bill also changes related duties of the chief resilience officer, floodplain and infrastructure programs, and local compliance mechanisms, affecting state agencies, local governments, levee and drainage districts, ports, and project sponsors in the upland area.
The bill appears to have enjoyed very strong support throughout the legislative process. The Senate and House votes were overwhelmingly in favor, with only one recorded no vote in the House and unanimous concurrence in the Senate. That voting pattern suggests broad agreement that Louisiana needed a more coordinated framework for flood mitigation and infrastructure planning outside the coastal zone. Because no committee transcripts were provided, there is no detailed record of debate, but the final votes indicate little visible opposition.
The likely areas of contention involve governance and control over project selection, funding, and enforcement. The bill creates a new board with broad authority to approve, rank, and potentially block upland projects, which could be seen as reducing discretion for local governments, levee districts, ports, and other entities. It also requires legislative approval of master and annual plans and allows the authority to enforce compliance through administrative action, withholding funds, and civil remedies. At the same time, the bill expressly preserves the independent authority of political subdivisions and districts to pursue projects consistent with the master plan, suggesting an effort to balance centralized coordination with local autonomy.