SB 384 — TECHNOLOGY: Authorizes creation of the Pilot Innovation Hub. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX See Note)

SLS 26RS-544 REENGROSSED Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE BILL NO.

384 BY SENATOR HARRIS TECHNOLOGY.AND REPRESENTATIVES JACKSON AND MENA AN ACT To enact R.S.

Authorizes creation of the Pilot Innovation Hub.

(8/1/26) AN ACT To enact R.S.

to provide relative to fostering and testing innovative technologies;

to provide relative to awarding contracts;

Local business growth and technology commercialization is hereby recognized as a key componenttoefficientlyandsafelyaddresspublicchallenges,anessentialfactor in economic development, and a primary contributor to an all-of-government Pageapproach 1to ofdriving 4state Coding:economic competitiveness.

Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;

words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SLS 26RS-544 REENGROSSED SB NO.

384 approach to driving state economic competitiveness.

(2) Pilot innovation contractors, when and if authorized by a political subdivisionPage with1 a Pilot Innovation Hub shall do all of the3 following:Coding:

(a)EstablishWords reasonableproceduresgoverningthecompetitiveselectionwhich andare vettingstruck ofthrough programare participants.deletions from existing law;

words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SB NO.

384 ENROLLED subdivision with a Pilot Innovation Hub, shall do all of the following:

(a)Establishreasonableproceduresgoverningthecompetitiveselection and vetting of program participants.

Upon successful completion of programming through the Pilot Innovation Hub, the parish governing authority or political authoritysubdivision may award a sole-source contract to the innovator without competitive bidding, Pageprovided 2both of 4the Coding:following occur:

Words(1) whichThe areparish struckshall throughgive arenotice deletionsto fromthe existingpublic law;of its intended sole-source award and allow a thirty-day protest period.

words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SLS 26RS-544 REENGROSSED SB NO.

384 provided both of the following occur:

(1) The parish shall give notice to the public of its intended sole-source award and allow a thirty day protest period.

(2)Page "Pilot2 innovationof contractor"3 meansCoding: an established business, nongovernmental organization, or venture platform with demonstrated experience in developing and managing pilot designed programs to validate start-up technologies.

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 384 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Harris Proposed law authorizes the governing authority of any parish to enact a resolution to designate the parish as a Pilot Innovation Hub.

Proposed law provides that thePilot InnovationHub designation permits the validation and implementation of innovative technologies to address public challenges, stimulate local economic activity, and create job opportunities.

Proposed law recognizes local business growth and technologycommercialization as a key component of economic development and contributors to statewide economic competitiveness.

ProposedlawauthorizesanypoliticalsubdivisionwithinaPilotInnovationHub,toestablish procedures for competitive selection of a pilot innovation contractor, enter into contracts with a pilot innovation contractor to manage programming, and utilize public property and align permitting and zoning to implement programming.

Proposed law allows pilot innovation contractors to establish competitive selection and vetting procedures for program participants, develop and implement programming, define benchmarks and deployment metrics, and ensure that programming does not adversely Page 3 of 4 Coding:

SLS 26RS-544 REENGROSSED SB NO.

384 impactENROLLED public(2) health,"Pilot safety,innovation contractor" means an established business, nongovernmental organization, or welfare.venture platform with demonstrated experience in developing and managing pilot designed programs to validate start-up technologies.

ProposedPRESIDENT lawOF providesTHE thatSENATE successfulSPEAKER completionOF ofTHE programmingHOUSE shallOF beREPRESENTATIVES demonstratedGOVERNOR byOF aTHE comprehensiveSTATE pilotOF reportLOUISIANA thatAPPROVED: includes performance data and a roadmap for scaled deployment and demonstrates a valid public purpose and achievement of program goals.

ProposedPage law3 provides that, upon successful completion of programming,3 theCoding: parish governing authority or political subdivision may award a sole-source contract to the innovator without competitive bidding, subject to public notice and a thirty-day protest period and a requirement that the business maintain operations in the state.

Proposed law defines the terms "programming" and "pilot innovation contractor".

Effective August 1, 2026.

(Adds R.S.

38:2211.3) Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate Committee Amendments Proposed bySenate Committee on Commerce,Consumer Protection, and International Affairs to the original bill 1.