HB 720 — PROPERTY/PUBLIC: Provides relative to the tacit dedication of roads

HLSENROLLED 26RS-1207 REENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.

720 BY REPRESENTATIVE RISER PROPERTY/PUBLIC:AN ACT Toamendand reenact R.S.

Provides relative to the tacit dedication of roads AN ACT Toamendand reenact R.S.

(2)(a) Any tacit dedication of a road or street pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall remain in force and effect and the right-of-wayfor such public Page 1 of 3 CODING:

HLS 26RS-1207 REENGROSSED HB NO.

720 (2)(a)ENROLLED Any tacit dedication of a road or street pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall remain in force and effect and the right-of-wayfor such public road or street shall be subject to public use until the parish or municipality who has maintained it formally revokes the dedication.

(b) Publicworksandimprovementsconstructedintheright-of-wayofaroad ororstreettacitlydedicatedpursuantto streettacitlydedicatedpursuanttoParagraph Paragraph(1)ofthis(1) ofthis Subsection shall likewise remainsubjecttopublicuseunlessdisposedofinaccordancewithapplicablelawby thetheparishor parish or municipality.

This SubparagraphshallSubparagraph shall include anyboat launches, boat landings, and parkingareasthatparkingareasthathavebeen haveconstructed beenand constructedandmaintainedbythemaintained bythe parish or municipality.

(2) (3) When a local governing authority for any reason decides to dispose of anyroad,any road, street, or propertyused for right-of-waypurposes which was originally donated or tacitlydedicatedtotacitlydedicated to the authorityor its ancestorancestorin in title, the propertyshall revert to the original donor or his heirs or assigns.

In the donation deed from the authoritytoauthority to the donor or his heirs or his assigns, the authority shall reserve rights of passage for landowners who own property contiguous to the property to be reverted.

* * * SectionPage 2.2 of 3 CODING:

The provisions of this Act are remedial, procedural, and interpretive of existing law and shall be given prospective and retroactive application.

Page 2 of 3 CODING:

HLS 26RS-1207 REENGROSSED HB NO.

720 DIGESTENROLLED ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislativeSection Services.2.

ItThe constitutesprovisions nopartof this Act are remedial, procedural, and interpretive of theexisting legislativelaw instrument.and shall be given prospective and retroactive application.

TheSPEAKER keyword,OF one-liner,THE abstract,HOUSE andOF digestREPRESENTATIVES doPRESIDENT notOF constituteTHE partSENATE ofGOVERNOR theOF lawTHE orSTATE proofOF orLOUISIANA indiciaAPPROVED: of legislative intent.

[R.S.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 720 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Riser Abstract:

Establishes that roadways obtained by a parish or municipality through tacit dedication and any public works within the right-of-way of tacitly dedicated roadways remain public and subject to public use until the parish or municipality formally revokes the dedication.

Present law provides that when a parish or city maintains a private roadway for a certain number of years, the road becomes public.

Present law further establishes the conditions under which this tacit dedication may be provenorpresumedandprovidesproceduresforaparishormunicipalitytodisposeofpublic roads.

Proposed law retains present law and clarifies that a road that has been tacitly dedicated to the public under present law remains public and subject to public use unless the parish or municipality formally revokes the dedication.

Proposed law further provides that any public works or improvements made by the parish or municipality in the right-of-wayof the dedicated public roadwayare also public, subject to public use, and remain public unless the dedication is revoked as required by proposed law.

Proposedlawfurtherestablishesthatanyboatlaunches,boatlandings,andparkingareasthat havebeenconstructedandmaintainedbytheparishormunicipalityremainsubjecttopublic use unless disposed of in accordance with applicable law bythe parish or municipality.

Proposed law clarifies that a public roadway that has been tacitly dedicated to the public cannot be alienated byprivate sale.

Specifies that proposed law is remedial, procedural, and interpretive of present law and has both prospective and retroactive application.

(Amends R.S.

48:491(B)(1)(c) and (2);

Adds R.S.

48:491(B)(3)) Summary of Amendments Adopted by House The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:

1.

Establishthatanyboatlaunches,boatlandings, andparkingareasthathavebeen constructed and maintained by the parish or municipality remain subject to public use unless disposed of in accordancewith applicable law bythe parish or municipality.