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HB669 • 2026

PROPERTY/PUBLIC: Authorizes the use of certain state property for seafood research

PROPERTY/PUBLIC: Authorizes the use of certain state property for seafood research

Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Joseph Orgeron
Last action
2026-05-15
Official status
Signed by the Governor - Act 171
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about funding or economic benefits beyond what is mentioned.

Using State Property for Seafood Research

This law allows the Grand Isle Port Commission to use state property near Grand Isle for seafood research, specifically an oyster culture project.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the Grand Isle Port Commission to use a specific area of water in Bayou Rigaud for seafood research.
  • Requires that this research be done with the Louisiana Sea Grant program and approved by all relevant state and federal agencies.
  • Permits the commissioner of administration to make agreements about using the property, considering economic benefits from the research.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Grand Isle Port Commission
  • Louisiana Sea Grant program
  • State and federal agencies overseeing environmental activities

Terms To Know

oyster culture project
A research effort focused on growing oysters in a specific area of water.
Louisiana Sea Grant program
A state program that supports marine and coastal research, education, and outreach.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only applies to the specified area near Grand Isle.
  • It does not provide details on how much funding will be available for the project.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-15 H

    Effective date: 08/01/2026.

  2. 2026-05-15 H

    Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 171.

  3. 2026-05-12 H

    Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

  4. 2026-05-12 S

    Signed by the President of the Senate.

  5. 2026-05-11 H

    Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

  6. 2026-05-07 H

    Received from the Senate without amendments.

  7. 2026-05-07 S

    Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  8. 2026-04-28 S

    Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

  9. 2026-04-27 S

    Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  10. 2026-04-22 S

    Reported favorably.

  11. 2026-04-01 S

    Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.

  12. 2026-03-31 S

    Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

  13. 2026-03-31 H

    Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 99, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

  14. 2026-03-30 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 03/31/2026.

  15. 2026-03-26 H

    Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

  16. 2026-03-25 H

    Reported favorably (15-0-1).

  17. 2026-03-09 H

    Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.

  18. 2026-02-27 H

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

  19. 2026-02-27 H

    Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.

  20. 2026-02-27 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

PROPERTY/PUBLIC: Authorizes the use of certain state property for seafood research

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED
ACT No. 1712026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 669
BY REPRESENTATIVE ORGERON
1 AN ACT
2 To authorize the use of certain state property near Grand Isle for seafood research; to
3 provide relative to the specification of the boundaries and size of the areas in which
4 the research will be conducted; to provide relative to protecting the state's natural
5 resources; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1.(A) The Grand Isle Port Commission may use, in accordance with this Act,
8 the following described state water bottoms, water columns, and water surfaces above the
9 specified sections of water bottoms:
10 An area of approximately twenty-seven and one-half acres in Bayou Rigaud,
11 Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, circumscribed by lines connecting the following points
12 (projection in North American datum, 1983):
13 (1) The Northeast corner is located at 29 degrees, 14 minutes, 23.57 seconds,
14 North, 90 degrees, 01 minutes, 08.24 seconds, West.
15 (2) The Southeast corner is located at 29 degrees, 14 minutes, 16.39 seconds,
16 North, 90 degrees, 01 minutes, 00.65 seconds, West.
17 (3) The Southwest corner is at 29 degrees, 14 minutes, 13.15 seconds, North,
18 90 degrees, 01 minutes, 19.07 seconds, West.
19 (4) The Northwest corner is at 29 degrees, 14 minutes, 21.56 seconds, North,
20 90 degrees, 01 minutes, 20.98 seconds, West.
21 (B) The port commission is authorized to use such water bottoms, water
22 columns, and water surfaces for the sole purpose of an off-bottom oyster (Crassotrea
23 Virginica) culture project undertaken in cooperation with Louisiana Sea Grant
24 program subject to approval of all state and federal agencies with jurisdiction over
25 activities conducted in connection with the project.
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HB NO. 669 ENROLLED
1 Section 2. The commissioner of administration, on behalf of the state of Louisiana,
2 and the Grand Isle Port Commission are hereby authorized to enter into such agreements,
3 covenants, conditions, and stipulations and to execute such documents as necessary to
4 properly effectuate the use of property described in Section 1 of this Act, and as more
5 specifically described in any such agreements entered into and documents executed by and
6 between the state and the port commission. In determining appropriate compensation for
7 the use of state property authorized by this Act, the commissioner may consider potential
8 economic development and other benefits resulting from the research contemplated.
9 Section 3. The Grand Isle Port Commission may, in cooperation with the Louisiana
10 Sea Grant program, participate in a seafood research and economic development program
11 in the area described in Section 1 of this Act.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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