GREEN SHEET REDIGEST
HB 354 2017 Regular Session Thibaut
(KEYWORD, SUMMARY, AND DIGEST as amended by Senate committee
amendments)
TAX/GASOLINE TAX: (Constitutional Amendment) Provides relative to the
dedication of proceeds of the tax levied on motor fuels
DIGEST
Present constitution establishes the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) as a special treasury
fund and requires that all state taxes levied on gasoline and motor fuels be deposited annually
into the fund. The current state excise taxes on gasoline and motor fuels total 20¢ per gallon.
Monies in the fund are used to provide for construction and maintenance of roads and bridges
of the state and federal highway systems, the Statewide Flood-Control Program, ports,
airports, transit, state police for traffic control purposes, and the Parish Transportation Fund.
Proposed constitution prohibits the use of any of the monies in the TTF from being used by
state police for traffic control.
Proposed constitution establishes the "Construction Subfund" as a special subfund within the
TTF and requires the avails of any new tax levied on gasoline, diesel, and special motor fuels
that become effective on or after July 1, 2017, to be deposited in the subfund for use on
direct costs associated with actual project delivery, construction, and maintenance of
transportation and capital transit infrastructure projects of the state and local government.
Proposed constitution prohibits any monies in the subfund from being used by the Dept. of
Transportation and Development for the payment of employee wages and related benefits or
employee retirement benefits.
Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election
to be held Oct. 14, 2017.
(Amends Const. Art. VII, §27(B))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the
original bill:
1. Change deposits into subfund from avails of new taxes enacted on or after July
1, 2017, to avails of new taxes effective on or after July 1, 2017.
2. Change the purposes of the use of the subfund to include project delivery and to
apply to state and local transportation and capital infrastructure projects instead
of roads and bridges.
3. Make technical changes.
4. Change ballot language.
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Civil Law and
Procedure to the engrossed bill:
1. Change the ballot language.
Page 1 of 2
Prepared by Benjamin A. Huxen, II. Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Finance to the reengrossed
bill
1. Deletes the prohibition from the using of the subfund for any "administrative
costs".
2. Adds a prohibition from using the fund for employee wages and related benefits
or employee retirement benefits.
3. Changes the ballot language to reflect the foregoing committee amendments.
Page 2 of 2
Prepared by Benjamin A. Huxen, II.