§ 48:196 — State Highway Improvement Fund

§196. State Highway Improvement Fund
A. There is hereby created, as a special fund in the state treasury, the State Highway
Improvement Fund, hereinafter referred to as the "fund." The source of monies in this fund
shall be registration and license fees and taxes collected by the state pursuant to R.S. 47:462,
and as provided in R.S. 47:481, in such amounts as remain after payment of amounts due
on bonds and related expenses as provided in the documents pursuant to which the bonds
were issued under the provisions of R.S. 48:196.1. Beginning July 1, 2007, and each fiscal
year thereafter, after satisfaction of the requirements of the provisions of R.S. 48:196.1 and
compliance with the requirements of Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of
Louisiana, and after making the allocation for state highway fund No. 2, the New Orleans
Ferry Fund, and the Regional Maintenance and Improvement Fund, the treasurer shall
deposit into the fund the following amounts:
(1) For Fiscal Year 2007-2008, twenty-five percent of such collections.
(2) For Fiscal Year 2008-2009, seventy-five percent of such collections.
(3) For Fiscal Year 2009-2010 and thereafter, all of the collections.
B. The monies in the fund shall be subject to an annual appropriation by the
legislature and only be used as provided in Subsection C of this Section. The monies in the
fund shall be invested by the treasurer in the same manner as the monies in the state general
fund, and all interest earned shall be deposited and credited to the fund. All unexpended or
unencumbered monies remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall remain to the
credit of the fund.
C. Monies appropriated from the fund shall be used exclusively by the Department
of Transportation and Development for funding projects for any road which is part of the
state highway system but not part of the federal system and, thus, is ineligible for federal
highway funding assistance. Such projects shall include but not be limited to design,
preventive maintenance, rehabilitation, restoration, and improvement of the state-maintained
system of roads. In addition, these funds may be used to complete all of the preconstruction
activities such as planning, survey, design, engineering, right-of-way acquisition, and utility
relocations associated with such projects. These funds may also be used to compensate a
parish or municipal governing authority for the acceptance of ownership of any road on the
state highway system that is not part of the federal system pursuant to R.S. 48:224.1.
D. Effective July 1, 2025, the State Highways Improvement Fund, its indebtedness,
and all non-federal aid routes within Louisiana shall fall under the exclusive purview of the
office of Louisiana Highway Construction.
E. Notwithstanding any provision of the law to the contrary, the office of Louisiana
Highway Construction is hereby authorized to redeem any bonds of the State Highway
Improvement Fund prior to their maturity date.

Legislative History

Acts 2006, No. 708, §2, eff. July 1, 2006; Acts 2008, 2 nd Ex. Sess., No. 11, §2, eff. March 24, 2008; Acts 2011, No. 390, §2, eff. July 1, 2012; Acts 2012, No. 135, §1, eff. July 1, 2012; Acts 2012, No. 865, §3, eff. Jan. 1, 2013; Acts 2013, No. 273, §2, eff. July 1, 2013; Acts 2019, No. 362, §5, eff. June 11, 2019; Acts 2021, No. 325, §1, eff. June 14, 2021; Acts 2025, No. 380, §1.