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HLS 26RS-758 REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 488
BY REPRESENTATIVE BRAUD
TAX/SEVERANCE TAX: Establishes the Belle Chasse Bridge Merit-Based Special Fund
and provides for use of the monies in the fund
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 47:645(B)(2) and to enact R.S. 48:250.4.4, relative to special
3 treasury funds; to establish the Belle Chasse Bridge Merit-Based Special Fund; to
4 provide for the transfer, deposit, and use, of monies in the Belle Chasse Bridge
5 Merit-Based Special Fund; to provide for dedication of certain severance tax
6 collections to the Belle Chasse Bridge Merit-Based Special Fund; to provide for an
7 effective date; and to provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 47:645(B)(2) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
10 §645. Disposition of collections
11 * * *
12 B.
13 * * *
14 (2) The allocated amounts shall not exceed the limits set forth in Article VII,
15 Section 4 of the Constitution of Louisiana. When these limits have been reached,
16 there shall be no further allocation, and all additional collections for the year shall
17 be credited in full to the state treasury except as provided in R.S. 30:88.1 and R.S.
18 48:250.4.4.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-758 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 488
1 * * *
2 Section 2. R.S. 48:250.4.4 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
3 §250.4.4. Belle Chasse Bridge Merit-Based Special Fund
4 A. There is hereby established in the state treasury, as a special fund, the
5 Belle Chasse Bridge Merit-Based Special Fund, hereinafter referred to as the "fund".
6 B. After allocation of money to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund as
7 provided in Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana and any other
8 revenues pursuant to the Constitution of Louisiana and the Louisiana Revised
9 Statutes of 1950, the treasurer shall deposit into the fund one-fifth of the portion of
10 recurring severance tax revenues collected in Plaquemines Parish that would
11 otherwise be deposited into the state general fund.
12 C. The monies in the fund shall be invested in the same manner as monies in
13 the state general fund. Interest earned on the investment of monies in the fund shall
14 be credited to the fund. Unexpended and unencumbered monies in the fund at the
15 end of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund.
16 D. Monies in the fund shall be appropriated to the Department of
17 Transportation and Development and shall be used exclusively as follows:
18 (1) To reduce toll rates on the Belle Chasse Bridge public-private partnership
19 project.
20 (2) To pay amounts owed to the developer for exercising the Department of
21 Transportation and Development's early handback option in the Belle Chasse Bridge
22 public-private partnership contract.
23 (3) For Department of Transportation and Development projects or
24 improvements within any area identified pursuant to the Belle Chasse Bridge public-
25 private partnership contract for any alternative facility.
26 Section 3. This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026; if vetoed by the governor
27 and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become effective on July 1,
28 2026, or on the day following such approval by the legislature, whichever is later.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-758 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 488
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 488 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Braud
Abstract: Establishes the Belle Chasse Bridge Merit-Based Special Fund (fund) and
requires monies in the fund to be used for the Belle Chasse Bridge public-private
partnership (P3) project.
Proposed law establishes the fund as a special fund in the state treasury. Provides for
deposit, use, and investment of monies in the fund. Requires the state treasurer to annually
deposit into the fund an amount equal to one-fifth of the recurring severance tax revenues
collected in Plaquemines Parish that otherwise would have been deposited into the state
general fund. Provides that monies in the fund be used for the following purposes:
(1) To reduce toll rates on the Belle Chasse Bridge P3 project.
(2) To pay amounts owed to the developer for exercising the Dept. of Transportation and
Development's (DOTD) early handback option in the Belle Chasse Bridge P3
contract.
(3) For DOTD projects or improvements within any area identified pursuant to the Belle
Chasse Bridge P3 contract for any alternative facility.
Effective July 1, 2026.
(Amends R.S. 47:645(B)(2); Adds R.S. 48:250.4.4)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the
original bill:
1. Restrict deposit into the fund to one-fifth of recurring severance tax revenues
collected in Plaquemines Parish that otherwise would have been deposited into
the state general fund.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Remove authorization to use fund monies to pay any annual consumer price
index buy-down payment in the Belle Chasse Bridge P3 contract.
2. Make technical changes.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.