UTILITIES: Provides relative to vegetation maintenance near utility infrastructure

HLS 26RS-250 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 453
BY REPRESENTATIVE BAYHAM
UTILITIES: Provides relative to vegetation maintenance near utility infrastructure
1 AN ACT
2 To enact Chapter 3-B of Title 45 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised
3 of R.S. 45:151, relative to vegetation maintenance near utility infrastructure; to
4 provide for definitions; to provide for vegetation maintenance near utility
5 infrastructure; to provide for rulemaking by the Public Service Commission; and to
6 provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. Chapter 3-B of Title 45 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,
9 comprised of R.S. 45:151, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 CHAPTER 3-B. VEGETATION MAINTENANCE
11 §151. Vegetation maintenance requirements.
12 A. As used in this Chapter, the following terms have the following
13 meanings:
14 (1) "Commission" means the Public Service Commission.
15 (2) "Utility infrastructure" means cables, wires, towers, poles, and other
16 above ground equipment and appliances which are owned and maintained by a utility
17 provider on public property.
18 (3) "Utility provider" means a provider of water, gas, or electric service that
19 is regulated by the commission or a local governmental subdivision or owned or
20 operated by a local governmental subdivision.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-250 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 453
1 B. A utility provider shall maintain all plants, trees, and other vegetation so
2 that the vegetation is no more and no less than four feet from the utility provider's
3 utility infrastructure.
4 C. The commission shall adopt reasonable rules, regulations, and modes of
5 procedure, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, to enforce the
6 provisions of this Chapter.
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 453 Original 2026 Regular Session Bayham
Abstract: Provides relative to vegetation maintenance near utility infrastructure.
Proposed law provides for vegetation maintenance requirements.
Proposed law defines "commission", "utility infrastructure", and "utility provider".
Proposed law provides that a utility provider shall maintain all plants, trees, and other
vegetation so that the vegetation is no more and no less than four feet from the utility
provider's utility infrastructure.
Proposed law provides that the commission shall adopt reasonable rules, regulations, and
modes of procedure to enforce the provisions of proposed law.
(Adds R.S. 45:151)
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.