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)]
HB 574 Original 2024 Regular Session Hilferty
Abstract: Authorizes the city of New Orleans and the city's sewerage and water board to enter into
a contract with a firm to negotiate agreements with customers whose bills are in dispute.
Present law provides that the public water, sewerage, and drainage systems of the city of New
Orleans shall be constructed, controlled, maintained, and operated by the sewerage and water board
of New Orleans. Provides for the composition of the board and its powers and duties.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law authorizes the board to adopt rules and procedures authorizing the adjusting, releasing,
or extinguishing of any indebtedness from a customer's sewerage and water bill in the following
cases:
(1)Instances of error on the part of the district such as equipment failure or process failure,
including instances in which the board generates inaccurate invoices.
(2)Instances in which an employee of the board, or a person acting on behalf of the board, fails
to properly read a customer's water meter regardless of whether the board has submitted an
invoice to the customer for an amount owed during any such period or fails to submit an
invoice to the customer for two or more consecutive months.
(3)Instances of error not on the part of the customer due to unforeseen damage or an extreme
weather-related event or mandatory evacuation, and in such instances, only to the extent the
situation increased the customer's indebtedness.
(4)Instances where the customer is disproportionately impoverished or needy and qualifies for
an adjustment, release, or extinguishment pursuant to an established social welfare program
of the district.
Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law requires the city and the board to enter a contract with a law firm, accounting firm,
business consulting firm, or some combination thereof that has experience in administration of
customer billing practices and processes. Requires the firm to assume responsibility for negotiating
agreements with customers whose bills for services are in dispute. Further requires that the contract
authorize the firm to exercise any authority of the city or the board that the firm may need to settle and finalize all such disputes including reducing and modifying amounts owed for services.
(Adds R.S. 33:4159.3)