HLS 13RS-282 REENGROSSED
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Regular Session, 2013
HOUSE BILL NO. 415
BY REPRESENTATIVES ORTEGO, BARRAS, GUINN, JOHNSON, JONES, LEBAS,
MILLER, MONTOUCET, ST. GERMAIN, THIBAUT, AND THIERRY
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
TRANSPORTATION: Requires the Dept. of Transportation and Development to adopt a
supplement to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to provide for the
usage of certain guide signs
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 32:235(A)(1) and to enact R.S. 25:651(C)(7) and R.S.2
32:235(A)(3) and (4), relative to guide signs; to require the Department of3
Transportation and Development to adopt a supplement to the manual and4
specifications for a uniform system of traffic control devices that permits parish5
governing authorities to request bilingual guide signs on certain roads; to provide6
guidelines for the supplement to be adopted by the Department of Transportation and7
Development; to provide for additional authority for the Council for the8
Development of French in Louisiana; and to provide for related matters.9
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:10
Section 1. R.S. 25:651(C)(7) is hereby enacted to read as follows:11
§651. Creation; domicile; purposes12
* * *13
C. The purposes of the council shall include the following:14
* * *15
(7) To approve or provide Louisiana French terms to be placed on bilingual16
guide signs to be installed by the Department of Transportation and Development on17
state and federal highways.18
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HB NO. 415
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Section 2. R.S. 32:235(A)(1) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.1
32:235(A)(3) and (4) are hereby enacted to read as follows:2
§235. Uniform highway marking system3
A.(1) The department shall adopt a manual and specifications for a uniform4
system of traffic control devices consistent with the provisions of this Chapter for5
use upon highways within this state. Such uniform system shall correlate with and6
so far as possible conform to the system then current as approved by the United7
States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, except that8
the department shall adopt a supplement to the manual, subject to approval by the9
United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, which10
permits parish governing authorities to request that specific guide signs along state11
and federal highways within their boundaries be bilingual and display terms in both12
English and the language requested by the parish governing authority. The13
supplement shall provide guidelines for uniform bilingual guide signs that are14
installed on federal and state highways throughout the state. In developing the15
supplement, the department shall coordinate with the Council for the Development16
of French in Louisiana, R.S. 25:651 et seq.17
(2) The supplement shall provide a process by which a parish governing18
authority may make a request for bilingual guide signs. The process shall, at19
minimum, include the following:20
(a) The parish governing authority shall identify the guide signs along the21
state and federal highways within its boundaries which it wants to be bilingual.22
(b) The parish governing authority shall identify the language to be used on23
bilingual guide signs within its boundaries.24
(c) The parish governing authority shall submit the non-English terms and25
spelling thereof to be used on each bilingual guide sign within its boundaries. The26
non-English terms and spelling thereof shall be subject to the approval of the27
department, unless the submitted non-English terms are Louisiana French.28
Submissions of Louisiana French terms shall be approved by the Council for the29 HLS 13RS-282 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 415
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Development of French in Louisiana, R.S. 25:651 et seq. If the Council for the1
Development of French in Louisiana does not approve the Louisiana French terms2
submitted, it shall provide alternative Louisiana French terms to be used on bilingual3
guide signs.4
(d) The department shall bear the cost of the production and installation if5
a guide sign that the parish governing authority requests to be bilingual is set for6
replacement or installation in the fiscal year that the request is made. However, the7
parish governing authority shall bear any increased cost in production or installation,8
or both, caused by the placement of the bilingual terms on the guide sign.9
(e) The parish governing authority shall bear the entire cost of the production10
and installation if a guide sign that the parish governing authority requests to be11
bilingual is not set for replacement or installation in the fiscal year that the request12
is made.13
(3) provided that the The department is authorized to deviate from said14
system and to erect advisory signs only to post advisory weight limits on state15
bridges where a state bridge is scheduled for replacement or strengthening within16
three years from the date of approval by the chief engineer of the department's17
weight rating evaluation of any state bridge. In addition, the department may deviate18
from the criteria contained in said system for location of traffic signals to the extent19
that additional weighted consideration shall be given to pedestrian and vehicular20
traffic volumes associated with schools which are located on state highways.21
(2)(4) The department shall require that any signage on public highways22
which indicates maximum or minimum speed limits in kilometers also indicate such23
speed limits in miles per hour.24
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HB NO. 415
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DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Ortego HB No. 415
Abstract: Requires the Dept. of Transportation and Development to adopt a supplement to
the manual and specifications for a uniform system of traffic control devices which
permits parish governing authorities to request bilingual guide signs on state and
federal highways within their boundaries. Provides that the Council for the
Development of French in La. act as an advisory authority to the department.
Present law requires the Dept. of Transportation and Development (DOTD) to adopt a
manual and specifications for a uniform system of traffic control devices consistent for use
upon highways within this state. Such uniform system is required to correlate with and so
far as possible conform to the system then current as approved by the U.S. Dept. of
Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.
Proposed law requires DOTD to adopt a supplement to the manual required by present law,
subject to approval by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration,
which shall permit parish governing authorities to request bilingual guide signs on state and
federal highways within their boundaries.
Proposed law requires that any such supplement require uniformity for all bilingual guide
signs installed on state and federal highways.
Proposed law provides that DOTD shall coordinate with the Council for the Development
of French in La. in developing the supplement.
Proposed law requires that the supplement shall provide a process by which a parish
governing authority may make a request for bilingual guide signs.
Proposed law provides that this process shall, at minimum, require the parish governing
authorities to identify the signs it wishes to be bilingual, the non-English language to be used
on the bilingual guide signs, and the terms and spelling thereof of any such non-English
terms to appear on the bilingual signs. DOTD shall have approval of the non-English terms
and the spelling thereof, unless the submitted terms are in Louisiana French. The Council
for the Development of French in La. (CODOFIL) shall approve terms submitted in
Louisiana French or provide alternative Louisiana French terms.
Proposed law provides that DOTD shall bear the cost of the production and installation if
a guide sign that a parish governing authority requests to be bilingual is set for replacement
or installation in the fiscal year that the request is made. However, the parish governing
authority shall bear any increased cost in production or installation, or both, caused by the
placement of the bilingual terms on the guide sign.
Proposed law provides that a parish governing authority shall bear the entire cost of the
production and installation if a guide sign that the parish governing authority requests to be
bilingual is not set for replacement or installation in the fiscal year that the request is made.
(Amends R.S. 32:235(A)(1); Adds R.S. 25:651(C)(7) and R.S. 32:235(A)(3) and (4)) HLS 13RS-282 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 415
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Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Transportation, Highways
and Public Works to the original bill.
1. Removed references to symbol dominate signage.
2. Modified a provision relative to the purpose of CODOFIL to authorize the
approval and provision of Louisiana French terms on signage to be installed by
DOTD on state and federal highways.
3. Removed that the supplement to be adopted by DOTD require the use of terms
in Louisiana French and English on new and replacement guide signs on state
and federal highways.
4. Instead provided that the supplement required to be adopted by DOTD permit
parish governing authorities to request bilingual guide signs on state and federal
highways within their boundaries, require uniformity for all bilingual guide
signs, and provide guidelines to ensure such uniformity. Further provided that
DOTD coordinate with CODOFIL in developing the supplement.
5. Required that the supplement to be adopted by DOTD provide a process by
which a parish governing authority may make a request for bilingual guide signs,
and for minimum standards for that process, including that the parish shall
submit non-English terms to be used on bilingual guide signs to DOTD for
approval. CODOFIL shall have approval of Louisiana French terms or provide
alternative Louisiana French terms.
6. Added provisions that provide relative to payment for production and installation
of bilingual guide signs requested by parish governing authorities.
7. Removed that the supplement shall require dominant language terms appear at
the top of the sign and minority language terms appear at the bottom of the sign
with all terms appearing in the same size font.
8. Removed part of proposed law requiring testing of bilingual guide signs in
certain parishes enumerated in present law.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill.
1. Made technical corrections.