Louisiana SB 367: WATER MANAGEMENT: Creates the Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund. (8/1/26) (EN INCREASE SD EX See Note)

Bill Text

2026 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 367
BY SENATOR EDMONDS
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 38:3310, relative to the Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund; to
3 provide for establishment of the fund; to provide for a purpose; to provide for the
4 transfer, deposit, and use of monies in the fund; to provide with respect to the Amite
5 River Basin Drainage and Water Conservation District; and to provide for an
6 effective date; to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 38:3310 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §3310. Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund
10 A. There is hereby established in the state treasury a special fund to be
11 known as the "Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund", hereinafter
12 referred to in this Section as the "fund".
13 B. The purpose of the fund shall be to support the reclamation,
14 restoration, and long-term stewardship of lands and watersheds within the
15 Amite River Basin impacted by sand and gravel mining operations, with
16 priority given to flood-prone areas and impaired watersheds.
17 C. After allocation of money to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund
18 as provided in Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, the
19 treasurer shall deposit into the fund one hundred percent of the portion of
20 recurring severance tax revenues collected on sand severed from within the
21 geographic boundaries of the district that would have been deposited into the
22 state general fund after allocations of such revenues otherwise required by the
23 Constitution of Louisiana and the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950. Monies
24 designated for the fund and received by the state treasurer from donations,
25 gifts, grants, or other revenue shall be deposited into the fund.
26 D. Monies in the fund shall be invested in the same manner as monies in
ACT No. 761
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SB NO. 367 ENROLLED
1 the state general fund. Any interest earned on the investment of monies in the
2 fund shall be credited to the fund. Unexpended and unencumbered monies in
3 the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund.
4 E. Monies in the fund shall be appropriated to the Coastal Protection
5 and Restoration Authority for use by the board of commissioners for the Amite
6 River Basin Drainage and Water Conservation District for use as provided in
7 Subsection B of this Section.
8 F. An annual report detailing the receipts, expenditures, and funded
9 activities of the Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund shall be
10 submitted by the board to the House Committee on Natural Resources and
11 Environment and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources by March first
12 of each calendar year.
13 Section 2. This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.