§231. Final construction program for current fiscal year; public hearings; Joint Highway Priority Construction Committee; reports; review by legislature; restrictions on legislature

A.(1) Beginning on October 1, 2010, and not later than October first of each year thereafter, the department shall provide a proposed program of construction for the coming fiscal year to the Joint Highway Priority Construction Committee.

(2) The committee shall hold public hearings in each highway district for the purpose of reviewing priorities for the coming fiscal year.

(3) At each public hearing, the department shall provide each House of Representatives and Senate member with a map indicating the following regarding projects within their respective House or Senate district:

(a) All projects proposed for construction within their district for the coming fiscal year.

(b) All completed projects within their district for the three previous fiscal years.

(4) The department shall make the maps required to be provided to members of the legislature pursuant to Paragraph (3) of this Subsection available to any person upon request following the public hearings.

(5) A report based on the testimony received at the hearings shall be sent to the department. The department shall then create the final construction program for the coming fiscal year for submission to the legislature.

(6) When this final construction program is communicated to the legislature for funding for the coming fiscal year, any project which the legislature determines is not in the proper order of priority in accordance with the factors stated in R.S. 48:229 may be deleted by the legislature. However, the legislature shall not add any projects to this final construction program, nor shall the legislature make substitutions for projects which have been removed.

B.(1) The Joint Highway Priority Construction Committee shall be comprised of the entire membership of the House and Senate transportation, highways and public works committees and shall include legislators representing the parishes within the respective highway district for the purposes of attending the public hearings in each district as required in Subsection A of this Section. Notwithstanding any unforeseen circumstances, the chairman shall provide notice, via electronic transmission, to each member of the Joint Highway Priority Construction Committee and legislators representing the parishes within the respective highway district, fifteen calendar days prior to each public hearing in each highway district as required in Subsection A of this Section. Beginning in 2004, the chairman of the House Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committee shall serve as chairman of the Joint Highway Priority Construction Committee. Thereafter, chairmanship of the Joint Highway Priority Construction Committee shall rotate between the chairman of the House and Senate Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committees on a two-year basis.

(2) No action shall be taken by such joint committee except by the favorable vote of a majority of the members thereof from each house present and voting, each house voting separately, a quorum of the joint committee being present.

Added by Acts 1974, No. 334, §1. Amended by Acts 1977, No. 291, §1; Acts 2001, No. 1032, §16; Acts 2004, No. 887, §1; Acts 2008, No. 692, §1; Acts 2010, No. 13, §1; Acts 2010, No. 91, §1; Acts 2010, No. 588, §1; Acts 2013, No. 207, §1.