SLS 26RS-353 ENGROSSED Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE BILL NO.
324 BY SENATOR REESE FUNDS/FUNDING.AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.
Provides for changes to the Water Sector Program.
(gov sig) AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.
The Water Sector Program is herebyestablished to provide grant funding for repairs, improvements, and consolidation of community water and sewer Pagesystems. 1 of 5 Coding:
Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
SLS 26RS-353 ENGROSSED SB NO.
324 systems.
Thedivision shall establishaworkingpanelcomprisedofemployeesoftheestablishaworkingpanelcomprised ofemployeesofthe office of facility planning and control and the office of community development, withinthedivisionofadministration,theofficeofpublichealthwithintheLouisiana Department of Health, and the Department of Environmental Quality.
*Page *1 * K.(1) * * * (4) The commission may approve modifications to the scope of work4 ofCoding: theoriginalgrantaward.Commissionapprovalshallnotberequiredforminor technical changes that do not affect the purpose of the project, including the means and methods of construction.
*Words *which *are O.(1)(a)struck *through *are *deletions (b)(i)from Anymoniesexisting depositedlaw; into the EmergencySubfund shall be used only to provide emergency grant funding to address or mitigate an emergency related to a community water system as defined in R.S.
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
SB NO.
324 ENROLLED * * * K.(1) * * * (4) The commission may approve modifications to the scope of work of theoriginalgrantaward.Commissionapprovalshallnotberequiredforminor technical changes that do not affect the purpose of the project, including the means and methods of construction.
* * * O.(1)(a) * * * (b)(i) Anymonies deposited into the EmergencySubfund shall be used only to provide emergency grant funding to address or mitigate an emergency related to a communitywater system as defined in R.S.
30:2075.3,R.S.30:2075.3, R.S.
(ii)Notwithstandinganyprovision of this Section to the contrary, anyaward of emergency grant funding shall be made in accordance with the procedures and requirements for requests and approvals of fundingfundingfor for emergencies, limited fiscal administrator, and receivershipexpenses as provided in the guidance promulgated Pagepursuant 2to ofthis 5Subsection. Coding:
(2)Thecommission shall hold ameetingnolaterthanSeptember1,2024,to submit priorities to the division to utilize in the development of guidance for emergencygrantsandanynewgrantsawardedpursuanttotheWaterSectorProgram on orafterJuly1, 2024.Thecommissionshallupdateprioritiestothedivision as needed.
(3) Upon receipt, the The division shall promulgate guidance for the award and administration of emergency grants and any new grants awarded after July 1, 2024.Theguidanceshallincludeapplicationrequirements,deadlinesforapplication submissions and approval, criteria for ratings, rate study and matching fund requirements,aprocessforprioritizingcriticalinfrastructureneeds,andprocedures Page 2 of 4 Coding:
SLS 26RS-353 ENGROSSED SB NO.
324 pursuantENROLLED toforrequestsandapprovalsoffundingforemergencies,limitedfiscaladministrator, thisand Subsection.receivership expenses.
(2)Thecommission shall hold ameetingnolaterthanSeptember1,2024,to submit priorities to the division to utilize in the development of guidance for emergencygrantsandanynewgrantsawardedpursuanttotheWaterSectorProgram onorafterJuly1, 2024.
The commission shall update prioritiestothedivision as needed.
(3) Upon receipt, the The division shall promulgate guidance for the award and administration of emergency grants and any new grants awarded after July 1, 2024.Theguidanceshallincludeapplicationrequirements,deadlinesforapplication submissions and approval, criteria for ratings, rate study and matching fund requirements,aprocessforprioritizingcriticalinfrastructureneeds,andprocedures forrequestsandapprovalsoffundingforemergencies,limitedfiscaladministrator, and receivership expenses.
(8)(8)(a) (a) The commission shall review the ratings and recommendations submitted bythe workingpanel.Thecommissionworkingpanel. shall submit its recommendations for grant awards to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.
The commission shall submit its recommendations for grant awards to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.
(a)(i) The amount of proposed matching funds for each project or a recommendation for a waiver or a decreased match for any project based on the commission's determination that the local governing authority or water system is Pageunable 3to ofprovide 5the Coding:full, required match.
Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
SLS 26RS-353 ENGROSSED SB NO.
324 unable to provide the full, required match.
(13) Any grant recipient that fails to comply with the rate study requirements pursuant to this Subsection shall be ineligible to receive future WaterPage Sector3 Programof grant4 awards.Coding:
(14)The commission mayapprovemodifications tothescopeof workof theoriginalgrantaward.Commissionapprovalshallnotberequiredforminor technical changes that do not affect the purpose of the project, including the means and methods of construction.
Section 2.
This Act shall become effective upon signature bythe governor or, if not signedbythegovernor,uponexpirationofthetimeforbillstobecomelawwithoutsignature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana.
If vetoed bythe governorand subsequentlyapprovedbythe legislature, this Act shall become effective on the dayfollowing such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared bySenate Legislative Services.
The keyword, summary, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.
[R.S.
1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] DIGEST SB 324 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Reese Present law (R.S.
39:100.56) creates the Water Sector Program and the Water Sector Commission to provide grant funding for repairs, improvements, and consolidation of community water and sewer systems and provides for the administration of the program.
Proposed law retains present law.
Page 4 of 5 Coding:
SLS 26RS-353 ENGROSSED SB NO.
324 ProposedENROLLED lawWater removesSector theProgram officegrant ofawards. facilityplanningand control from the administration of the program, including the working panel that submits recommendations for funding to the commission.
Present(14)The lawcommission requiresamayapprovemodifications communitywaterortothescopeof sewerwork systemof betheoriginalgrantaward.Commissionapprovalshallnotberequiredforminor placedtechnical underchanges athat court-appointeddo receivershipnot oraffect the appointmentpurpose of athe fiscalproject, administratorincluding inthe accordancemeans withand presentmethods lawof toconstruction. qualify for emergency grant funding.
ProposedlawclarifiesthatanappointmentmadeinaccordancewithpresentlawmayincludeSection the2. appointment of a limited fiscal administrator or receiver and otherwise retains present law.
ProposedlawrequiresthatanyapprovalsoffundingforlimitedfiscaladministratorexpensesThis beAct madeshall inbecome accordanceeffective withupon signature bythe governor or, if not signedbythegovernor,uponexpirationofthetimeforbillstobecomelawwithoutsignature by the guidancegovernor, promulgatedas pursuantprovided toby presentArticle law.III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana.
PresentIf lawvetoed requiresbythe thegovernorand commissionsubsequentlyapproved tobythe holdlegislature, athis meetingAct noshall laterbecome thaneffective Septemberon 1, 2024, to submit priorities to the divisiondayfollowing tosuch utilizeapproval. in the development of guidance for emergency grants and any new grants awarded pursuant to the Water Sector Program on or after July 1, 2024.
ProposedPRESIDENT lawOF removesTHE theSENATE deadline,SPEAKER furtherOF requiresTHE theHOUSE commissionOF toREPRESENTATIVES updateGOVERNOR prioritiesOF toTHE theSTATE divisionOF asLOUISIANA needed,APPROVED: and otherwise retains present law.
PresentlawrequiresthedivisionPage to4 promulgateguidanceforemergencygrants andanynew grants awarded after July 1, 2024 that includes application requirements, deadlines for application submissions and approval, criteria for ratings, a process for prioritizing critical infrastructure needs, and procedures for requests and approvals of funding4 forCoding: emergencies and receivership expenses.
Proposed law further requires the guidance to include rate study and matching fund requirements and procedures for approvals of funding of limited fiscal administrator expenses and otherwise retains present law.
Present law requires that within 45 days of the end of the application period, the division shall submit ratings of the proposed projects bythe working panel to the commission.
Proposed law extends the deadline from 45 to 60 days and otherwise retains present law.
Proposed law authorizes the commission to submit recommendations for subsequent grant awards to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget based upon the ratings and recommendations of the working panel without requiring a new application period.
Proposedlawauthorizesthecommissiontorescendanygrantawardforaprojectifthegrant recipient fails to comply with the guidance approved bythe commission.
Proposed law disqualifies any grant recipient that fails to comply with the rate study requirements of present law from receivingfuture Water Sector Program grant awards.
Proposed law authorizes the commission to approve modifications to the scope of work of the original grant award.
Further provides that commission approval is not required for minor technical changes that do not affect the purpose of the project, including the means and methods of construction.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(AmendsR.S.
39:100.56(C),(O)(1)(b),(2),(3),(7),and(8);addsR.S.39:100.56(K)(4)and (O)(12), (13), and (14)) Page 5 of 5 Coding: