HB 297: CONTRACTS: Provides for a "contract limit" for public works projects by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism (EN DECREASE SG EX See Note) - Louisiana

HB297 Original → HB297 Act · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill removes the ten-day requirement for public entities to publish notice of a public emergency in the official journal, allowing for faster emergency repairs. It also establishes a new one-million-dollar contract limit for public works projects by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, which can be undertaken without prior capital outlay budget approval but requires Lieutenant Governor approval. Additionally, the bill creates a pilot program ending in 2029 that mandates annual reporting on project savings and efficiency gains.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of projects that can be undertaken without capital outlay budget approval to include minor repairs and land purchases up to one million dollars, previously limited to specific public works definitions. It also removes the strict ten-day publication window for emergency declarations.

REQUIREMENT

Eliminated the requirement for a public entity to publish notice of a public emergency in the official journal within ten days.

Requires Lieutenant Governor approval for projects under the new one-million-dollar limit that are not included in the capital outlay budget.

ELIGIBILITY

Added authority for the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism to undertake minor repairs, renovations, or land purchases up to one million dollars without including them in the capital outlay budget.

TIMELINE

Established a pilot program with a termination date of August 1, 2029.

ENFORCEMENT

Mandates annual reporting to House and Senate transportation committees detailing project costs, savings, and time reductions.

HB297 Enrolled → HB297 Original · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the rules for public works projects managed by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. It establishes a new $1 million contract limit for projects, allowing the department to proceed without a full capital outlay budget approval for smaller jobs. The bill also removes a strict 10-day deadline for posting notices of public emergencies, giving the department more flexibility during urgent situations.

Scope change

The bill applies specifically to the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and defines a new monetary threshold ($1 million) for what counts as a 'public works' project eligible for streamlined funding.

FISCAL

Establishes a new $1 million contract limit for public works projects, including labor, materials, equipment, and up to 15% administrative overhead.

REQUIREMENT

Removes the requirement to publish notice of a public emergency within 10 days, eliminating the strict time frame for emergency declarations.

TIMELINE

Sets the contract limit adjustment mechanism to begin February 1, 2026, with annual updates based on the Consumer Price Index, effective until December 31, 2029.

ADDED

Requires contracts between $50,000 and the contract limit to be publicly bid by the department.

HB297 Reengrossed → HB297 Enrolled · 4 edits · Jun 20, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates the rules for public works contracts by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. It removes a ten-day deadline for posting notices of public emergencies, allowing for faster emergency repairs. It also reorganizes the statute to include new provisions for minor repairs and short-term loans funded by the department.

Scope change

The bill shifts the statutory references from R.S. 38 to R.S. 39 and adds a new subsection (F) to allow minor projects under one million dollars to be undertaken without a capital outlay budget, subject to the lieutenant governor's approval.

TIMELINE

Deleted the requirement that a public entity must publish notice of a public emergency within ten days.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a new provision allowing minor repairs, renovations, or construction under one million dollars to be done without a capital outlay budget, provided the lieutenant governor approves.

FISCAL

Authorized the department to incur short-term loans (up to one year) for projects not in the capital outlay budget, issued under Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes.

TECHNICAL

Changed the statutory citations from R.S. 38:2212 to R.S. 39:128 and reorganized the text to separate general contract limits from specific emergency and minor repair provisions.

HB297 Engrossed → HB297 Reengrossed · 4 edits · Jun 9, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was reengrossed to correct the order of statutory references in the title and section 1. More significantly, the text of the law was updated to clarify that the contract limit adjustment mechanism applies annually starting February 1, 2026, rather than 2025, and to explicitly state that these provisions remain effective until December 31, 2029. A new Section 2 was added to establish this as a pilot program, requiring the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism to submit annual reports to legislative committees detailing project costs, savings, and time saved.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded by adding a new Section 2 that designates the contract limit increase as a temporary pilot program with specific reporting requirements to the House and Senate transportation committees.

TIMELINE

The start date for the annual adjustment of the contract limit was changed from February 1, 2025, to February 1, 2026.

REQUIREMENT

A new Section 2 was added to create a pilot program that terminates on August 1, 2029, requiring annual reports on project costs, savings, and efficiency gains.

DEFINITION

The statutory text was reorganized to clarify that the contract limit calculation includes labor, materials, equipment, and administrative overhead not exceeding 15%.

TECHNICAL

The title and Section 1 were corrected to list the amended statutes in the proper order (C)(1) and (P)(1)(a) instead of (P)(1)(a) and (C)(5).

CONTRACTS: Provides for a "contract limit" for public works projects by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism (EN DECREASE SG EX See Note)

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