HB 1037 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

TRANSPORTATION DEPT: Modifies operations and certain positions within the Department of Transportation and Development (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

This bill reorganizes the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development by creating new leadership positions and clarifying their roles. It establishes a chief operating officer to oversee project delivery and operations, a deputy secretary to lead an office of transformation focused on departmental improvements, and an undersecretary to manage finance and administrative functions. The legislation also extends deadlines for the department to implement reforms and pay vendors, while defining which positions are classified as unclassified versus part of the standard state service system. These changes aim to improve internal management and operational efficiency within the department.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Mar 30, 2026 Signed May 22, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1037 Original HB1037 Act 332 · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill reorganizes the Department of Transportation and Development by clarifying which high-level positions are exempt from civil service rules and establishing a new 'Office of Transformation' led by a Deputy Secretary. The changes aim to streamline operations by allowing the Secretary to designate acting officials and limiting the duration of temporary appointments to ensure efficient leadership transitions.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to include a newly created 'Office of Transformation' and modified the list of unclassified positions to explicitly include the Director of the Offshore Terminal Authority and Commissioner of Multimodal Commerce.
REQUIREMENT

Created a new Deputy Secretary position responsible for leading an 'Office of Transformation' to optimize department operations.

Added specific rules limiting temporary acting appointments to 30 days unless extended by the governor, preventing indefinite interim leadership.

Updated the list of unclassified positions to include the Assistant Secretary of Operations and removed the Assistant Secretary of Project Delivery from that specific list.

DEFINITION

Explicitly listed the Director of the Offshore Terminal Authority and Commissioner of Multimodal Commerce as unclassified positions exempt from standard civil service rules.

Floor votes · Senate May 13, 2026 · House Apr 20, 2026

How they voted

360
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 40
May 13, 2026
D Democratic12
10 Yea 2
83% Yea
R Republican28
26 Yea 2
92% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
4
Committee
4
May 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
May 4, 2026
Committee
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
Apr 29, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
Apr 20, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 89, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
Apr 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably (14-0).
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Ryan Bourriaque
Ryan Bourriaque
RRepublican
LA
47