HB 588 Louisiana House · 2025 Regular Session

TRANSPORTATION: Provides relative to the Regional Transit Authority

HB 588 is a procedural amendment to a transportation bill concerning the Regional Transit Authority. It corrects a reference number in the bill's text by inserting and deleting the numeral "(23)" at specific points in the legislative language. The bill itself does not create new policies, funding, or services; it only adjusts a numerical reference within the existing bill framework. This amendment was approved by the committee and passed to third reading on May 13, 2025. As a purely technical correction, it has no direct policy impact or effect on transit operations or stakeholders.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

Jun 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Jul 2025

Introduced Apr 4, 2025 Signed Jul 1, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB588 Original → HB588 Act 511 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends the Louisiana Regional Transit Authority laws to update appointment procedures, increase board meeting frequency, and add new enforcement powers. The changes aim to improve board representation by adjusting how members are appointed when parishes opt out, ensure more regular oversight through monthly meetings, and empower the authority to investigate misconduct and penalize legal violations.

Scope change

The bill modifies the Regional Transit Authority's operational rules, specifically expanding its investigative powers and altering the composition requirements for the board of commissioners and advisory board.

REQUIREMENT

Increased the requirement for board meetings from at least one per month to ten meetings per year to ensure more frequent oversight.

Changed the quorum requirement to require two-thirds of the weighted vote and representation from a majority of parishes, rather than a simple majority.

Established a new advisory board composed of twelve persons, including a local Amalgamated Transit Union member, to provide findings and recommendations to the board of commissioners.

ENFORCEMENT

Added new authority to establish penalties for violations of state and city laws and created a specific investigative committee to probe waste, bid rigging, and labor law violations.

ELIGIBILITY

Updated appointment rules to allow parishes that opt out after August 1, 2024, to appoint new members, and added requirements for transit expertise and training for appointed members.

DEFINITION

Clarified that the authority and its contractors are not considered 'common carriers' or 'persons' under specific liability laws to limit exposure in personal injury or property damage suits.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 3, 2025 · House May 14, 2025

How they voted

33–0

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 37

Jun 3, 2025

D Democratic11

8 Yea 3

72% Yea

R Republican26

25 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

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.

upper

Jun 1, 2025

Committee

Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

May 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

May 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 100, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (10-0).

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

lower

Apr 4, 2025

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor