HLS 25RS-719 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 301
BY REPRESENTATIVE DOMANGUE
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
WATERWAYS/OBSTRUCTIONS: Provides for the removal and salvage of abandoned
vessels in waterways
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 34:852.23 and to enact R.S. 34:845, relative to abandoned
3 vessels; to provide for salvage procedures for abandoned vessels; to provide for
4 tagging and titling of abandoned vessels; and to provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 34:852.23 is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 34:845 is
7hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 §845. Abandoned vessels
9 A. In order to provide a clear process for removing abandoned vessels, the
10 Department of Wildlife and Fisheries shall promulgate and adopt rules and
11 regulations for:
12 (1) Law enforcement entities, including state and local law enforcement,
13 Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the coast guard, to affix a notice on the
14 vessel that informs the owner that it has been deemed unlawful and will be removed.
15 (2) Third parties to recover any vessel that has been tagged or deemed
16 abandoned by state or local law enforcement.
17 (3) Making available information regarding the owner of any vessel which
18 has been tagged or deemed abandoned.
19 (4) Providing a clear procedure for obtaining a salvage title and for selling
20 any abandoned vessel that has been recovered.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 25RS-719 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 301
1 (5) Notifying new registrants that they will be deemed as the owner and be
2 held responsible if the vessel is deemed abandoned.
3 B. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to interfere with the authority
4 of the state or of local governmental subdivisions to remove abandoned vessels,
5 regardless of location, under R.S. 33:1236(3) and R.S. 34:843.
6 * * *
7 §852.23. Titling abandoned and salvaged vessels and outboard motors
8 The department is authorized to shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to
9 the Administrative Procedure Act to establish guidelines and procedures for the
10 registration and titling of vessels or outboard motors which are abandoned, salvaged,
11 towed and stored abandoned vessels, court-ordered transferred, and vessels or
12 outboard motors which lack prior documentation of ownership.
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 301 Original 2025 Regular Session Domangue
Abstract: Provides for salvage procedures for abandoned vessels and for tagging and titling
of abandoned vessels.
Proposed law requires the Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries to promulgate and adopt rules and
regulations for:
(1)Law enforcement entities to affix a notice onto an abandoned vessel that informs the
owner it has been deemed unlawful and will be removed.
(2)Third parties to recover vessels that have been tagged or deemed abandoned by law
enforcement.
(3)Making available the information of the owner of any vessel that has been tagged or
abandoned.
(4)Clarifying the procedure for obtaining a salvage title and for selling any abandoned
vessel that has been recovered.
(5)Providing notice to registrants that they will be deemed as the owner and be held
responsible for any vessel deemed abandoned.
Present law authorizes the dept. to adopt rules and regulations for establishing guidelines and
procedures for registering and titling vessels or outboard motors that are abandoned,
salvaged, towed and stored abandoned vessels, court-ordered transferred, or lacking proper
ownership documentation.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 25RS-719 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 301
Proposed law requires the dept. to adopt the rules and regulations for establishing the
guidelines and procedures provided by present law.
(Amends R.S. 34:852.23; Adds R.S. 34:845)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.