SB 214 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

WATER MANAGEMENT: Provides for emergency preparedness. (8/1/26)

SB 214 protects local governments in Louisiana from liability when they take specific actions to lower water levels before weather events, such as reducing pumping or operating water control structures. It applies only to parishes (local governments) covering four parishes where at least one has a population between 145,000 and 350,000 people. The law shields these entities from damage claims related to such preparations, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. This provision directly affects flood mitigation efforts by eligible local governments during emergency planning. The bill focuses on clarifying legal protections for proactive water management, not on creating new infrastructure or funding.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 26, 2026 Signed May 22, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB214 Original → SB214 Act 366 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill was finalized and enrolled as Act No. 366, moving from a draft status to an official law. The core policy content regarding liability protection for water management during weather events remains unchanged, but the document now includes formal signatures from the Senate President, House Speaker, and Governor.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; the differences are purely procedural, reflecting the transition from a draft bill to an enacted law.

TECHNICAL

Updated the document header to reflect the final enrolled status (Act No. 366) and replaced the draft session date with the final approval date.

Added formal signatures and approval blocks for the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House, and Governor, which are required for a bill to become law.

Removed draft-specific headers, legislative service notes, and the original digest explaining the bill's purpose, as these are no longer needed in the final legal text.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 25, 2026 · House May 13, 2026

How they voted

33–0

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 40

Mar 25, 2026

D Democratic12

7 Yea 5

58% Yea

R Republican28

26 Yea 2

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 93, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 7, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (14-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

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

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors