Creates a mandate for digital mapping of all utility systems in the state of Louisiana. (gov sig) (OR INCREASE SG EX See Note)

Senate Bill 390 creates a new provision in Louisiana Revised Statutes 45:1207 that mandates the Louisiana Public Service Commission to compile a statewide digital utility map by securing information from all public and private entities that provide electricity, water, natural gas, or wastewater services to locations in Louisiana. The statute directs the LPSC to organize this information into a parish-by-parish digital map identifying the physical locations of utility systems throughout the state. The LPSC is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations through the Administrative Procedure Act to implement this mandate and may establish a grant program with associated rules designed to prevent damage to existing utilities and ensure proper documentation. Any rules created under the grant program provisions must be reviewed and approved by the House Committee on Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs before submission to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget for final approval prior to implementation.

The bill imposes significant practical obligations on utility owners across Louisiana. All public and private entities providing the specified utility services must furnish location information to the LPSC and bear the costs associated with the mapping and locating process. Municipal utilities, investor-owned utilities, and any other provider of these four utility types must comply with information requests and cost assessments. The grant program provisions suggest that funding mechanisms may be available to assist with compliance costs, though the specific eligibility criteria and amounts remain subject to rules not yet promulgated. The deadline for completing all mapping activities is December 31, 2032, with the finished product required to maintain a minimum accuracy rating of eighty-five percent.

This legislation operates within Louisiana's regulatory framework governing public utilities, codified primarily in Title 45 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes. The LPSC already possesses broad regulatory authority over utility services in Louisiana, and this statute expands that authority to include information gathering and digital mapping functions. The requirement for compliance with the Administrative Procedure Act ensures that rule-making follows established processes for notice and opportunity for public comment. The provision requiring legislative committee review and JLCB approval of grant program rules adds a layer of fiscal oversight before implementation, recognizing the potential budgetary implications of establishing a statewide utility mapping system. The statute becomes effective immediately upon gubernatorial signature or expiration of the signing period, allowing the LPSC to begin its rule-making process without delay.