HLS 24RS-2133 ORIGINAL 2024 Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO. 949 BY REPRESENTATIVE ILLG TRANSPORTATION DEPT: Provides with respect to the Department of Transportation and Development enforcement 1 AN ACT 2To amend and reenact R.S. 32:2(C) and to enact R.S. 32:2.1, relative to the Department of 3 Transportation and Development Police Force; to provide for the authority and 4 requirements of the DOTD Police Force; and to provide for related matters. 5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 6 Section 1. R.S. 32:2(C) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 32:2.1 is hereby 7enacted to read as follows: 8 §2. Authority of Department of Transportation and Development 9 * * * 10 C.(1) The Weights and Standards Stationary Scales DOTD Police Force is 11 hereby created within the department. It may enforce the provisions of R.S. 32:380 12 through 388.1 and 390, R.S. 47:718 and the provisions of Chapter 4 of Subtitle II of 13 Title 47 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 relating to trucks, trailers, and 14 semi-trailers; Part V of Chapter 7 of Subtitle II of Title 47 of the Louisiana Revised 15 Statutes of 1950; the provisions of R.S. 32:389; and the access laws and regulations 16 relative to controlled access highways. 17 (2) Members of the Weights and Standards Stationary Scales DOTD Police 18 Force are authorized to carry weapons and to make arrests in the enforcement of 19 these laws and regulations, or any other law of this state, and in that regard, shall 20 have the same authority and powers conferred by law upon other commissioned law Page 1 of 3 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 24RS-2133 ORIGINAL HB NO. 949 1 enforcement officers of this state; however, no member of the Weights and Standards 2 Stationary Scales DOTD Police Force shall be authorized to carry a weapon until the 3 member has received P.O.S.T. certification training. 4 * * * 5 §2.1. Additional authority of commissioned DOTD Police Force officers 6 A. The DOTD Police Force shall have the authority to facilitate the effective 7 protection of the assets, property, personnel, and interests relating to the Department 8 of Transportation and Development and the state's critical infrastructure, to include 9 all state highways, interstate and intrastate systems, bridges, and controlled access 10 roadways, duly commissioned enforcement officers of the DOTD Police Force may 11 carry weapons concealed or exposed while in the performance of their duties, shall 12 take such action as is authorized by law, rule, or regulation to protect interests 13 relating to the department's and the state's critical infrastructure, and shall be vested 14 with the same authority and powers conferred by law upon other law enforcement 15 officers of this state. 16 B. All DOTD Police Force officers shall be Peace Officers Standard Training 17 (P.O.S.T.) certified. 18 C. Upon the request of any regular law enforcement agency of this state, 19 DOTD Police Force officers shall prevent and detect crime, apprehend criminals, 20 enforce the criminal and traffic laws of the state, keep the peace and good order in 21 the state in the enforcement of the state's police powers, and perform any other 22 related duties imposed upon them by the legislature. 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 949 Original 2024 Regular Session Illg Abstract: Provides for the authority of the DOTD Police Force within the Dept. of Transportation and Development. Page 2 of 3 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 24RS-2133 ORIGINAL HB NO. 949 Present law provides for the Weights and Standards Stationary Scales Police Force to enforce provisions of present law and to have the same authority of other law enforcement officers of this state. Proposed law renames the Weights and Standards Stationary Scales Police Force as the DOTD Police Force but otherwise retains present law. Proposed law provides for protection of the interests of the Dept. of Transportation and Development and the state's critical infrastructure by duly commissioned enforcement officers of the DOTD Police Force, who may carry weapons while in the performance of their duties, and take such action as is authorized by law to protect interests relating to the department's and the state's critical infrastructure, and have the same authority and powers conferred upon other law enforcement officers of this state. Proposed law requires all DOTD Police Force officers to be P.O.S.T. certified. Proposed law authorizes DOTD Police Force officers to perform any law enforcement duties as requested by regular law enforcement and any other duties imposed upon them by the legislature. (Amends R.S. 32:2(C); Adds R.S. 32:2.1) Page 3 of 3 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.