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HLS 26RS-2724 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1123
BY REPRESENTATIVE BRAUD
FUNDS/FUNDING: Establishes the Transportation Backlog Fund to be used to fund certain
transportation projects
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 48:79, relative to special treasury funds; to establish the Transportation
3 Backlog Fund; to provide for the transfer, deposit, and use of monies in the fund; to
4 provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 48:79 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 §79. Transportation Backlog Fund
8 A. The legislature recognizes that the contributions of certain parishes to the
9 state general fund in the form of severance tax revenue far exceeds the benefits that
10 these parishes receive. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to establish a more
11 equitable distribution of revenue to promote the development of transportation
12 infrastructure in these parishes and the development of oil, gas, and other revenue-
13 generating industries.
14 B. There is hereby established in the state treasury, as a special fund, the
15 Transportation Backlog Fund, hereinafter referred to as the "fund".
16 C. The treasurer is authorized to transfer and deposit twenty million dollars
17 of state general fund monies into the fund after compliance with the requirements of
18 Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana relative to the Bond
19 Security and Redemption Fund to be used solely as provided for in Subsection E of
20 this Section.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-2724 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1123
1 D. The monies in the fund shall be invested in the same manner as monies in
2 the state general fund. Interest earned on the investment of monies in the fund shall
3 be credited to the fund. Unexpended and unencumbered monies in the fund at the
4 end of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund.
5 E. Monies in the fund shall be utilized for transportation infrastructure
6 projects which are located entirely within a parish that has received the maximum
7 severance tax allocation for all natural resources other than sulphur, lignite, or timber
8 pursuant to Article VII, Section 4(D) of the Constitution of Louisiana for the current
9 fiscal year and which are included in the Highway Priority Program, Port
10 Construction or Development Priority Program, Airport Construction or
11 Development Priority Program, or Federal Railroad Crossing Safety Program. Any
12 project to be funded pursuant to this Section shall be subject to approval by the Joint
13 Committee on Transportation, Highways, and Public Works prior to distribution of
14 monies from the fund to the project.
15 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
16 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
17 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
18 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
19 effective on the day following such approval.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 1123 Original 2026 Regular Session Braud
Abstract: Establishes the Transportation Backlog Fund and requires deposit of $20M of
state general fund to be deposited into the fund to be used for transportation
infrastructure projects in parishes which have met their maximum allocation of
severance tax revenues.
Proposed law establishes the Transportation Backlog Fund (fund) as a special fund in the
state treasury and requires the treasurer to deposit $20M of state general fund monies into
the fund.
Proposed law provides that monies in the fund shall be invested in the same manner as
monies in the state general fund. Interest earned on investment of monies shall be credited
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-2724 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1123
to the fund. Unexpended and unencumbered monies in the fund at the end of the fiscal year
shall remain in the fund.
Proposed law requires monies in the fund to be used for transportation infrastructure projects
which are located entirely in a parish which has received the maximum severance tax
allocation for all natural resources other than sulphur, lignite, or timber for the current fiscal
year and which are included in the Highway Priority Program, Port Construction or
Development Priority Program, Airport Construction and Development Priority Program,
or Federal Railroad Crossing Safety Program.
Proposed law requires projects to receive approval by the Joint Committee on
Transportation, Highways, or Public Works prior to distribution of monies from the fund to
the project.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 48:79)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.