Provides for application submission timelines for waterway projects

House Bill 647 amends Louisiana Revised Statutes 34:3472(A)(1) to modify the timeline for governmental entities to submit applications for waterway project funding. The bill changes the submission frequency from quarterly to semi-annual basis and alters the specific submission deadlines accordingly. Rather than requiring applications to be submitted four times per year on or before March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1, the amended statute reduces submissions to twice yearly, with applications due no later than March 1 and September 1 of each calendar year. This streamlines the application process while maintaining consideration of funding and funding obligation authority for the following fiscal years.

Governmental entities seeking waterway project funding are directly affected by this change, as they will have fewer submission opportunities annually under the semi-annual requirement compared to the previous quarterly schedule. Port authorities, water districts, levee boards, municipalities, and parishes that manage or sponsor waterway projects such as dredging and deepening initiatives will need to consolidate their applications and align their project planning with the new March and September deadlines. The reduction in submission windows may require these entities to coordinate project proposals more efficiently or to defer applications if they miss the semi-annual filing periods. Conversely, the state office administering the funding program may benefit from processing fewer application rounds per year, potentially allowing for more thorough evaluation of each submission.

This amendment operates within the existing statutory framework governing waterway project evaluation and funding established in Louisiana Revised Statutes Chapter 34. The legislation specifically modifies only the application submission timeline provisions of R.S. 34:3472(A)(1) while preserving references to exceptions provided in R.S. 34:3476 and maintaining the requirement that submitted applications remain subject to the procurement and evaluation standards in R.S. 39:101 through 128. The change does not alter the substantive criteria for project evaluation, the types of waterway projects eligible for funding, or the mechanism by which the state determines funding awards, leaving those aspects of the statutory scheme intact.