HLS 25RS-436 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 410
BY REPRESENTATIVE KNOX
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Provides relative to renovations of certain property in historic
preservation districts
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 25:747, relative to historic preservation; to provide relative to the powers and
3 duties of historic preservation district commissions; to provide relative to the
4 renovation of certain property owned by the state or a parish or municipality; to
5 provide for the review of certain projects; to provide for enforcement; to provide
6 definitions; to provide exceptions; and to provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 25:747 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง747. Renovation of public historic property
10 A. In addition to all other applicable provisions of law, the provisions of this
11 Section apply to any restoration, renovation, or other construction work that is
12 greater than two hundred thousand dollars in value and that is performed to the
13 exterior of property owned by the state or a parish or municipality that is designated
14 as a landmark or is a contributing rated structure located within a historic
15 preservation district under this Chapter.
16 B. The following definitions shall apply in this Section:
17 (1) "Contributing rated structures" means resources that are designated by
18 a local historic district commission as historically or architecturally significant to a
19 city or community.
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HB NO. 410
1 (2) "Project" means any restoration, renovation, or other construction work
2 that is greater than two hundred thousand dollars in value and that is performed to
3 the exterior of property owned by the state or a parish or municipality that is
4 designated as a landmark or is a contributing rated structure within a historic
5 preservation district under this Chapter.
6 C. A project shall adhere to the guidelines and best practices outlined by the
7 Department of the Interior, including the Secretary of Interior Standards for
8 Rehabilitation and other relevant preservation best practices, or receive a certificate
9 of appropriateness as prescribed in R.S. 25:738. No such project shall be undertaken
10 without compliance with preservation guidelines and consultation with qualified
11 preservation professionals.
12 D.(1) Prior to beginning a project, the state or the parish or municipality
13 undertaking the work shall notify the legislators representing the legislative districts
14 in which the property is located and the local historic district commission for the
15 district in which the project is located. The notification shall be submitted in writing,
16 describe the scope of the proposed work, and reference this Section.
17 (2) A local historic district commission may, at its discretion, choose to
18 undertake the process of review and approval of a project. The decision to review
19 must be made within thirty days after the submittal of the project to the historic
20 district commission.
21 (3) If a historic district commission chooses to review a project, the state or
22 the parish or municipality undertaking the project shall conduct a public hearing in
23 the parish or municipality where the property is located to solicit public comment on
24 the project.
25 (4) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a local historic
26 district commission shall not undertake the process of review and approval of any
27 emergency repairs undertaken to prevent further damage to property that is owned
28 by the state or a parish or municipality and that is designated as a landmark or is a
29 contributing rated structure located within a historic preservation district.
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HB NO. 410
1 E. If a planned or active project is not in compliance with the provisions of
2 this Section, the local historic district commission may issue a stop order, or file suit
3 within thirty days from the date of the public hearing in a district court in the parish
4 in which the district is located to seek reversal or modification of the project,
5 injunctive relief, or any other relief provided by law or equity, in order to seek
6 compliance with this Section.
7 Section 2. The provisions of this Act shall apply prospectively only and shall not
8apply or to any project that begins before August 1, 2025.
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 410 Original 2025 Regular Session Knox
Abstract: Provides relative to the renovation of landmarks and public property within
historic preservation districts.
Proposed law provides that in addition to all other applicable provisions of law, when the
state or a parish or municipality undertakes restoration, renovation, or other construction
work that is greater than $200,000 in value and that is performed on the exterior of public
property that is a contributing rated structure within a historic preservation district or
designated as a landmark, the following also apply:
(1)Prior to beginning any such project on a historic structure, the state or parish or
municipality shall notify the legislators representing the legislative district is in
which the historic structure is located and the local historic district commission. The
notification shall be submitted in writing, describe the scope of the proposed work,
and reference proposed law.
(2)A local historic district commission may, at its discretion, choose to undertake the
process of review and approval of a project. The decision to review must be made
within 30 days of the submittal of the project to the historic district commission. If
a historic district commission chooses to review a project proposal, it shall provide
an opportunity for public hearing.
(3)Any project that meets such criteria shall be subject to review and approval at the
discretion of the local historic district commission. Such project must adhere to the
guidelines and best practices outlined by Dept. of the Interior, including the
Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation and other relevant preservation best
practices, or receive a certificate of appropriateness as prescribed under present law
(R.S. 25:738).
Proposed law provides the following definitions:
(1)"Contributing rated structures" means resources that are designated by a local
historic district commission as historically or architecturally significant to a city or
community.
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HB NO. 410
(2)"Project" means any restoration, renovation, or other construction work that is
greater than $200,000 in value and that is performed to the exterior of property that
is owned by the state or a parish or municipality and that is designated as a landmark
or is a contributing rated structure within a historic preservation district.
Proposed law provides that proposed law does not apply to emergency repairs that prevent
further damage to a historic structure.
Proposed law authorizes a local historic district commission to issue a stop order for any
planned or active project that is not in compliance with the provisions of proposed law, or
file suit within 30 days from the date of the public hearing in a district court in the parish in
which the district is located to seek reversal or modification of the project, injunctive relief,
or any other relief provided by law or equity, in order to seek compliance with proposed law.
Proposed law applies prospectively only and does not apply to any project that begins before
Aug. 1, 2025.
(Adds R.S. 25:747)
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