Louisiana 2024 2024 Regular Session

Louisiana House Bill HB879 Engrossed / Bill

                    HLS 24RS-2082	ENGROSSED
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 879
BY REPRESENTATIVE FARNUM
MOTOR CARRIERS:  Provides relative to required insurance coverage applicable to trucks
transporting waste
1	AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 45:163(D), relative to insurance and indemnity bonds; to
3 eliminate the requirement for a three thousand dollar C.O.D. bond from common
4 carriers of freight by motor vehicles; to require trucks transporting specific products
5 to carry specific insurance coverages; to require certain coverage amounts on trucks
6 transporting waste; to provide for the responsibilities of producers of waste; to
7 provide for penalties; and to provide for related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1.  R.S. 45:163(D) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 
10 ยง163.  Powers of commission; rates; insurance policies or bonds
11	*          *          *
12	D.(1)  The commission shall require the following policies of insurance and
13 indemnity bonds:
14	(a)  Three thousand dollars C.O.D. bond from all common carriers of freight
15 by motor vehicle.
16	(b) (a)  Public liability and property damage insurance on trucks transporting
17 household goods and salt water utilized in oil well exploration and production and
18 passenger carrying vehicles operated by both common and contract carriers
19 providing coverage of two hundred fifty thousand dollars for injury or death to any
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CODING:  Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 24RS-2082	ENGROSSED
HB NO. 879
1 one person not to exceed five hundred thousand dollars per occurrence, and ten
2 twenty-five thousand dollars property damage.
3	(b)  Public liability and property damage insurance for tow trucks or wreckers
4 providing coverage of not less than five hundred thousand dollars combined single
5 limits coverage.
6	(c)  Public liability and property damage insurance on trucks transporting
7 waste by both common and contract carriers providing coverage of not less than one
8 million dollars combined single limits coverage and an excess or umbrella liability
9 policy of not less than four million dollars combined single limits coverage.
10	(c) (d)  Public liability insurance on passenger buses providing coverage of
11 two hundred fifty thousand dollars for injury or death to any one person not to
12 exceed five hundred thousand dollars per occurrence, and property damage insurance
13 on passenger buses providing coverage of ten twenty-five thousand dollars.
14	(2)  These insurance policies and indemnity bonds shall be written by
15 companies qualified to do business in this state.
16	(3)(a)  Producers of waste shall verify that a truck has the proper coverage
17 pursuant to this Subsection to transport the waste before allowing the transfer of the
18 waste.
19	(b)  Producers of waste who do not comply pursuant to this Paragraph shall
20 be subject to a civil fine, by the commission, of up to one thousand dollars for the
21 first violation and up to five thousand dollars for each subsequent violation.
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 879 Engrossed 2024 Regular Session	Farnum
Abstract:  Provides relative to policies of insurance and indemnity bonds for certain
transport vehicles.
Present law specifies that the commission must require specific insurance policies and
indemnity bonds including $3,000 bond from all common carriers of freight by motor
vehicle, public liability and property damage insurance on trucks and passenger vehicles
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CODING:  Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 24RS-2082	ENGROSSED
HB NO. 879
operated by common and contract carriers of $250,000 for injury or death up to $500,000
per occurrence and $10,000 for property damage.
Proposed law removes the $3,000 bond requirement from common carriers, adds a
qualification for the public liability and property damage insurance on trucks to only apply
to trucks transporting household goods and salt water utilized in oil well exploration and
production, and increases the property damage portion from $10,000 to $25,000.
Present law further provides for public liability and property damage insurance for tow
trucks or wreckers providing coverage of at least $500,000 combined single limits coverage.
Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law adds a provision for public liability and property damage insurance on trucks
transporting waste by both common and contract carriers providing coverage of not less than
$1,000,000 combined single limits coverage and an excess or umbrella liability policy of at
least $4,000,000 combined single limits coverage.
Present law provides for public liability insurance on passenger buses with coverage of
$250,000 for injury or death to any one person not to exceed $500,000 per occurrence and
property damage insurance on passenger buses providing coverage of $10,000.
Proposed law changes the property damage coverage for passenger buses from $10,000 to
$25,000.
Proposed law requires producers of waste to verify that a truck has proper coverage and
imposes a penalty for producers who do not comply of up to $1,000 for a first violation and
up to $5,000 for each subsequent violation. 
(Amends R.S. 45:163(D))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Commerce to the
original bill:
1. Make technical changes.
2. Require producers of waste to verify that a truck has proper coverage and impose
a penalty for producers who do not comply.
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CODING:  Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.