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HB536 • 2026

TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Provides requirements relative to the location of wireless communication facilities with respect to school property, including permitting requirements

TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Provides requirements relative to the location of wireless communication facilities with respect to school property, including permitting requirements

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Kimberly Coates
Last action
2026-03-09
Official status
Pending House Commerce - Considered 3/30/26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Provides requirements relative to the location of wireless communication facilities with respect to school property, including permitting requirements

TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Provides requirements relative to the location of wireless communication facilities with respect to school property, including permitting requirements

What This Bill Does

  • TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Provides requirements relative to the location of wireless communication facilities with respect to school property, including permitting requirements

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Draft

Plain English: HCAHB536 4875 2754 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Commerce to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB536 4875 2754 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Commerce to Original House Bill No.
  • 536 by Representative Coates 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, after line 17, insert the following: 3 "(D) It is the intent of the legislature that the provisions of this Act shall not delay 4 or materially impair the deployment of broadband and wireless infrastructure necessary for 5 public safety, emergency response, and economic development." 6 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 7 On page 2, line 10, change "one thousand" to "five hundred" 8 AMENDMENT NO.
Draft

Plain English: HCAHB536 4875 2640 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Commerce to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB536 4875 2640 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Commerce to Original House Bill No.
  • 536 by Representative Coates 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 9, change "the state of Louisiana" to "this state" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 4 On page 2, line 5, change "Section:" to "Section, the following terms have the following 5 meanings:" 6 AMENDMENT NO.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-09 H

    Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Commerce.

  2. 2026-02-27 H

    First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

  3. 2026-02-26 H

    Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Commerce.

  4. 2026-02-26 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Provides requirements relative to the location of wireless communication facilities with respect to school property, including permitting requirements

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HLS 26RS-1349 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 536
BY REPRESENTATIVE COATES
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Provides requirements relative to the location of wireless
communication facilities with respect to school property, including permitting
requirements
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:2111, relative to wireless communication facilities; to provide for the
3 placement of wireless communication facilities with respect to their proximity to
4 school property; to provide for permits; to provide for exceptions; to provide for
5 definitions; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "School Infrastructure
8 Safety and Emergency Coordination Act".
9 Section 2.(A) The legislature finds and declares that the state of Louisiana has a
10 compelling interest in protecting students, faculty, and school property from structural
11 hazards, falling debris, fire risks, and emergency access obstructions associated with tall
12 structures.
13 (B) The legislature finds and declares that schools require coordinated emergency
14 planning in areas where critical infrastructure is located nearby.
15 (C) The legislature finds and declares that equipment, structures, and improvements
16 used to provide personal wireless services are essential infrastructure supporting public
17 safety, emergency services, education, and commerce.
Page 1 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1349 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 536
1 Section 3. R.S. 17:2111 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
2 §2111. Wireless communication facilities
3 A. The purpose of this Section is to provide for safety with respect to the
4 placement of wireless communication facilities near schools while preserving the
5 availability of wireless services. As used in this Section:
6 (1) "Colocation" means the placement of wireless transmission equipment
7 on an existing structure, including towers, utility poles, water towers, rooftops, or
8 similar structures.
9 (2) "School" means any elementary or secondary school.
10 (3) "School proximity zone" means an area within one thousand feet of a
11 school property boundary.
12 (4) "Wireless communication facility" means equipment, structures, and
13 improvements used to provide personal wireless services.
14 B. A newly constructed freestanding wireless tower located within a school
15 proximity zone shall maintain a setback from any school building equal to at least
16 one hundred ten percent of the tower height. This requirement shall not apply to the
17 following:
18 (1) Antennas colocated on existing structures.
19 (2) Concealed or stealth installations.
20 (3) Facilities where a licensed professional engineer certifies that an
21 alternative setback provides equivalent structural safety.
22 C.(1) An applicant proposing construction of a new freestanding tower
23 within a school proximity zone shall demonstrate good faith efforts to colocate on
24 existing structures, including but not limited to the following:
25 (a) Identification of suitable existing structures within the search area.
26 (b) Written requests to structure owners.
27 (c) Documentation of responses received.
28 (d) Engineering analysis where colocation is determined infeasible.
Page 2 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1349 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 536
1 (2) Colocation is not required if it is determined to be technically infeasible
2 or economically unreasonable by the applicable state or local entity.
3 D.(1) Construction of a new freestanding wireless tower within a school
4 proximity zone shall require a conditional use permit from the applicable state or
5 local entity. Granting of the permit shall be based on the following considerations:
6 (a) Structural integrity and wind-load compliance.
7 (b) Fall radius and debris mitigation.
8 (c) Fire code compliance.
9 (d) Emergency vehicle access.
10 (e) Security fencing and restricted access.
11 (f) Reasonable visual mitigation measures.
12 (2) If the permit is denied, the denial shall be in writing, supported by
13 substantial evidence, and issued within applicable federal timeframes.
14 E. Operators of freestanding towers within a school proximity zone shall
15 provide current emergency contact information to the school, certify annual
16 structural inspection compliance, and coordinate disaster response planning upon the
17 school's request.
18 F. Subsequent modifications to such towers shall be made in compliance
19 with applicable federal law.
20 G. Nothing in this Section shall be:
21 (1) Construed to regulate radio frequency emissions or the technical
22 operation of wireless communication services.
23 (2) Construed to prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the provision of
24 personal wireless services.
25 (3) Be applied in a manner inconsistent with 47 U.S.C. 332 or other
26 applicable federal law.
Page 3 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1349 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 536
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 536 Original 2026 Regular Session Coates
Abstract: Provides requirements relative to the location of wireless communication
facilities with respect to school property, including permitting requirements.
Proposed law provides the following:
(1) Defines a "school proximity zone" as area within 1,000 of a school property
boundary.
(2) A newly constructed freestanding wireless tower located within a school proximity
zone shall maintain a setback from any school building equal to at least 110% of the
tower height.
(3) An applicant proposing construction of a new freestanding tower within a school
proximity zone shall demonstrate good faith efforts to colocate on existing
structures.
(4) Construction of a new freestanding wireless tower within a school proximity zone
shall require a conditional use permit.
(5) Operators of freestanding towers within a school proximity zone shall provide
current emergency contact information to the school, certify annual structural
inspection compliance, and coordinate disaster response planning upon request.
(6) Subsequent modifications of such towers shall comply with applicable federal law.
Proposed law provides that proposed law shall be known and may be cited as the "School
Infrastructure Safety and Emergency Coordination Act".
(Adds R.S. 17:2111)
Page 4 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.