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Committee advances revisions to Louisiana "call‑before‑you‑dig" law with stop‑work, withholding and dispute panel provisions
Summary
Lawmakers moved Senate Bill 469 forward after amending the state’s underground utilities damage prevention law to expand 811 participation, add dispute resolution and allow the broadband office to withhold reimbursements and, in limited cases, repair damaged facilities on behalf of municipalities.
The House Committee on Commerce voted to report Senate Bill 469, a sweeping update to Louisiana’s underground utilities damage prevention law, after adopting a set of amendments intended to tighten standards and create an expedited process for on‑site dispute resolution.
Sponsor Sen. Abraham said the bill modernizes the state’s "call before you dig" framework by requiring broad participation in 811, adding clearer definitions (including "positive response" and "ticket") and enabling regional notification centers. He said the changes aim to reduce accidental strikes of buried utilities and speed repairs.
A central point of debate concerned provisions that permit the Office of Broadband to withhold reimbursements to grantees when a provider or its agent causes damage and is at fault, and to use withheld funds to pay for repairs if the responsible party does not remedy the damage. Representative Newell and others pressed for clarity on who notifies the office and how fault would be determined. The chair said pending companion bills create mandatory reporting to 811 and that municipal and private property owners will be able to notify 811 directly.
Jason Hunt, CEO and co‑founder of Swift Fiber — identified in committee as one of the largest Gumbo awardees — told lawmakers he supports an enforcement mechanism that ensures parties who cause damage are accountable. Emery Belton, attorney for Louisiana 811 and chair of the Dig Law Advisory Committee, told the panel the measure benefits from broad stakeholder work and said the bill’s 30‑day notice provisions were carefully coordinated with existing Gumbo requirements.
Lawmakers also adopted an amendment establishing a three‑party dispute resolution panel — the broadband office, the affected underground facility operator and the impacted local governing authority — to convene rapidly and decide whether work must be stopped, repaired and how reimbursement withholdings should be handled. The amendment provides a process for rapid on‑site determinations intended to protect public safety and reduce prolonged project delays.
Committee members requested additional reporting language for the floor to track withheld funds and outcomes after the provision takes effect. With those changes, the committee voted to report SB 469 favorably.
The bill now goes to the House floor.
