SB24 • 2026

ROADS/HIGHWAYS: Designates Interstate 49 as "Senator J. Bennett Johnston Jr. Memorial Highway". (8/1/26) (EN +$4,500 SG EX See Note)

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Patrick Connick
Last action: 2026-05-14
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 199
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how many signs will be placed or their exact locations.

Designate Interstate 49 as Senator J. Bennett Johnston Jr. Memorial Highway

This bill designates the entirety of Interstate 49 in Louisiana as the 'Senator J. Bennett Johnston Jr. Memorial Highway' and sets rules for placing signs along this highway.

What This Bill Does

Designates Interstate 49 from where it meets Interstate 10 in Lafayette Parish to its northern end in Louisiana as the 'Senator J. Bennett Johnston Jr. Memorial Highway'.
Requires the Department of Transportation and Development to put up signs for the memorial highway if they receive enough money from local or private sources.
Limits the cost of each sign to $2,250.
Ensures that this designation does not change any other existing highway names along Interstate 49.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Transportation and Development in Louisiana
Drivers who use Interstate 49 in Louisiana

Terms To Know

Department of Transportation and Development: A state agency responsible for building, maintaining, and managing roads and highways.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how many signs will be placed or where exactly they will go.
It is unclear if there are any penalties for failing to comply with the sign placement requirements.

Amendments

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

Senate Committee Amendment #992 THPW Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: SCASB24 4379 992 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works to Original Senate Bill No.

SCASB24 4379 992 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works to Original Senate Bill No.
24 by Senator Connick 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, after line 15, insert the following: 3 "Section 3.
The provisions of this Act shall not cause any other state highway 4 designation along Interstate 49 to be repealed or replaced.

Senate Committee Amendment #920 THPW Draft

Draft

Plain English: SCASB24 4379 920 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works to Original Senate Bill No.

SCASB24 4379 920 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works to Original Senate Bill No.
24 by Senator Connick 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, after line 15, insert the following: 3 "Section 3.
The provisions of this Act shall not cause any other state highway 4 designation along Interstate 49 to be repealed or replaced.

Bill History

2026-05-14 S
Effective date 8/1/2026.
2026-05-14 S
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 199.
2026-05-13 S
Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.
2026-05-12 H
Signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-12 S
Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-11 S
Received from the House without amendments.
2026-05-06 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.
2026-05-05 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 05/06/2026.
2026-04-29 H
Read by title, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-04-28 H
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.
2026-04-27 H
Reported favorably (13-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-03-26 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
2026-03-25 H
Received in the House from the Senate, read by title, lies over under the rules.
2026-03-24 S
Read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-03-23 S
Read by title. Committee amendments read and adopted. Ordered engrossed and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-03-18 S
Reported with amendments.
2026-03-09 S
Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
2026-01-28 S
Prefiled and under the rules provisionally referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

Official Summary Text

ROADS/HIGHWAYS: Designates Interstate 49 as "Senator J. Bennett Johnston Jr. Memorial Highway". (8/1/26) (EN +$4,500 SG EX See Note)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

2026 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 24
BY SENATORS CONNICK, ABRAHAM, ALLAIN, BARROW, BARTHELEMY, BASS,
BOUDREAUX, CARTER, CLOUD, DUPLESSIS, EDMONDS, FESI,
FOIL, HARRIS, HENRY, HENSGENS, HODGES, JACKSON-
ANDREWS, JENKINS, KLEINPETER, LAMBERT, LUNEAU,
MCMATH, MILLER, MIZELL, MORRIS, MYERS, OWEN, PRESSLY,
PRICE, REESE, SEABAUGH, SELDERS, STINE, TALBOT, WHEAT
AND WOMACK AND REPRESENTATIVES BOUDREAUX,
BOURRIAQUE, BOYER, BROUSSARD, CHASSION, DICKERSON,
FONTENOT, MOORE, MURRAY, SAWYER, SCHAMERHORN,
WALTERS AND WILEY
1 AN ACT
2 To provide relative to state highways; to designate Interstate 49 in the state of Louisiana as
3 "Senator J. Bennett Johnston Jr. Memorial Highway"; to provide for location and
4 placement of signage; to provide for restrictions on costs of materials to the
5 department; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, Interstate
8 49 in its entirety in the state of Louisiana beginning where Interstate 49 intersects with
9 Interstate 10 in Lafayette Parish, extending north through the state of Louisiana, is
10 hereby designated as "Senator J. Bennett Johnston Jr. Memorial Highway".
11 Section 2. The Department of Transportation and Development is hereby
12 directed to erect and maintain appropriate signs of this designation provided local or
13 private monies are received by the department equal to the department's actual costs
14 for material, fabrication, mounting posts, and installation of each sign, not to exceed
15 the sum of two thousand two hundred fifty dollars per sign.
ACT No. 199
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
SB NO. 24 ENROLLED
1 Section 3. The provisions of this Act shall not cause any other state highway
2 designation along Interstate 49 to be repealed or replaced. The department shall not
3 remove any state highway designations currently provided for in law along Interstate
4 49 due to any provision within this Act and unless specific legislation succeeding this
5 Act is enacted to require the removal.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.