SB 444: EXPROPRIATION: Provides relative to expropriation by the city of St. George. (gov sig) - Louisiana

Senate Floor Bureau Note, #3739, Edmonds, Adopted → SB444 Act 899 · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill enacts new laws allowing the City of St. George in East Baton Rouge Parish to acquire private property through a 'declaration of taking' before a court determines the final compensation amount. Previously, the city likely had to wait for a full trial to take possession of land needed for public projects. The new law streamlines this process by letting the city deposit an estimated compensation amount with the court to immediately gain title and possession, speeding up infrastructure development.

Scope change

The bill adds a specific new legal framework (Part XIII of Title 19) applicable only to the City of St. George for acquiring property for public projects like roads, utilities, and flood protection.

SCOPE

Grants the City of St. George the authority to acquire property via a declaration of taking prior to a judgment on compensation.

REQUIREMENT

Requires the city council to adopt a resolution declaring the taking necessary before filing a petition in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court.

Mandates that the petition include a description of the property, names of owners, and a request for an order of expropriation.

Requires the petition to be accompanied by a certified resolution and an itemized estimate of just compensation signed by an expert.

DEFINITION

Defines key terms such as 'Governing authority' (city council) and 'Property' (immovable property within city limits).

TIMELINE

Establishes a timeline where title vests immediately upon deposit of estimated compensation, allowing the city to take possession right away.

ENFORCEMENT

Allows the court to postpone physical possession for up to 30 days if an inhabited improvement exists on the property to protect residents.

EXEMPTIONS

Explicitly prohibits the city from using this method to take property owned or operated by utilities regulated by the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

SB444 Original → Senate Floor Bureau Note, #3739, Edmonds, Adopted · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to specify that the Nineteenth Judicial District Court for the parish of East Baton Rouge must hear the expropriation case, clarifying the venue for the City of St. George. Additionally, a line defining the specific parish was removed to streamline the petition requirements, ensuring the legal process for acquiring public property is precise and procedurally sound.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on the City of St. George in East Baton Rouge Parish, but the amendments clarify the specific court venue required for filing the expropriation petition.

REQUIREMENT

Added a specific instruction to replace the end of a line with 'in the parish of East Baton Rouge' to explicitly define the court venue.

Deleted a line from the petition requirements section to simplify the filing instructions.

SB444 Enrolled → SB444 Original · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill was renumbered and reclassified from an 'Enrolled' version to an 'Original' version, indicating it is in the early stages of the legislative process. The substantive legal text regarding expropriation powers for the City of St. George remains unchanged, with no new policies, funding, or definitions added.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability are unchanged; it continues to authorize the City of St. George to expropriate property for public projects under the same conditions as before.

TECHNICAL

The bill header was updated from 'ENROLLED' to 'ORIGINAL' and assigned a new session number (SLS 26RS-574), reflecting its status as the initial draft rather than a finalized version.

SB444 Reengrossed → SB444 Enrolled · 3 edits · May 31, 2026

MINOR

The bill was finalized as an Enrolled version, changing its status from a draft to the official version ready for signing. The substantive legal text regarding expropriation powers for the City of St. George remains unchanged, though page numbering and formatting codes were updated to reflect the final state.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; it still authorizes the City of St. George to expropriate property for public projects under specific conditions.

TECHNICAL

The document header was updated from 'REENGROSSED' to 'ENROLLED', indicating the bill has passed all legislative stages and is in its final form.

Page numbering was reduced from 8 pages to 5 pages, reflecting the removal of draft-specific coding instructions and formatting notes.

Formatting codes describing deletions and additions were removed, as the text is now the final, clean version of the law.

SB444 Engrossed → SB444 Reengrossed · 3 edits · May 29, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed to correct page numbering and formatting errors while adding a critical new provision that restricts the city of St. George from using expropriation powers to acquire utility properties. This change ensures that existing utility relocation laws and state public service regulations remain the primary authority for utility infrastructure, preventing the city from bypassing those specific rules.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed to explicitly exclude utility properties from the city's expropriation powers, reinforcing the jurisdiction of the state Public Service Commission over utilities.

SCOPE

Added a new subsection prohibiting the city of St. George from acquiring utility facilities, plants, or rights-of-way through expropriation, ensuring state utility laws take precedence.

TECHNICAL

Corrected page numbering from 7 to 8 and updated the bill status header from 'Engrossed' to 'Reengrossed' to reflect the legislative process.

REQUIREMENT

Reorganized the text of expropriation and necessity resolution sections to align with the new utility restriction and improve clarity.

EXPROPRIATION: Provides relative to expropriation by the city of St. George. (gov sig)

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