HLS 25RS-554 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 499
BY REPRESENTATIVE BAMBURG
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
TRAFFIC/VIOLATIONS: Establishes penalties for persons exceeding the speed limit or
breaching construction zones and utility work safety zones under active construction
with workers on site
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 32:57(A)(1), (H), and (I) and to enact R.S. 32:57(J), relative to
3 traffic offenses occurring in construction zones and utility work safety zones; to
4 provide specific monetary penalties for exceeding the speed limit or breaching a
5 construction zone or work safety zone when employees are present; to provide for
6 specific monetary and confinement penalties if motor vehicle violations occur in a
7 highway safety corridor; to provide for definitions; and to provide for related
8 matters.
9Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 32:57(A)(1), (H), and (I) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
1132:57(J) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 ยง57. Penalties; alternatives to citation
13 A.(1) Except as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection and Subsections
14 H and I of this Section, the first violation of the provisions of this Chapter or any
15 regulation of the department, secretary, and commissioner made pursuant thereto
16 shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred seventy-five dollars or by
17 imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both, unless otherwise specifically
18 provided. A subsequent violation shall be punished by a fine of not more than five
19 hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than ninety days, or both.
20 * * *
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 25RS-554 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 499
1 H. If a person operating a motor vehicle exceeds the speed limit or breaches
2 a construction zone or utility work safety zone on the portion of a highway or road
3 which is under active construction or maintenance and construction or utility workers
4 are on site, or which is in the process of being repaired and construction or utility
5 workers are on site, the fine shall be twice the standard fine imposed not less than
6 five hundred dollars nor more than two thousand dollars.
7 I. If a person operating a motor vehicle violates the provisions of this
8 Chapter while on the portion of a highway which is designated as a highway safety
9 corridor pursuant to R.S. 32:267, the fine shall be twice the standard fine imposed
10 not less than one thousand dollars nor more than two thousand dollars, or
11 imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both, unless otherwise specifically
12 provided.
13 J. For purposes of Subsections H and I of this Section, the following words
14 shall have the following meanings:
15 (1) "Construction zone" shall mean an area of a highway with construction,
16 maintenance, or utility work activities marked by temporary traffic control devices
17 consisting of signs, channelizing devices, barriers, pavement markings, and work
18 vehicles.
19 (2) "Utility work safety zone" shall mean an area where utility companies
20 are actively performing work such as digging, installing, or repairing underground
21 or overhead utilities marked by temporary traffic control signs.
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 499 Original 2025 Regular Session Bamburg
Abstract: Establishes specific penalties for persons exceeding the speed limit or breaching
construction zones and utility work safety zones.
Present law specifies that except as provided in present law, the first violation of the
provisions of present law or any regulation of the dept. is punishable by a fine of not more
than $175 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both, unless otherwise
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 25RS-554 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 499
specifically provided. Further, specifies that a subsequent violation is punishable by a fine
of not more than $500 or by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.
Proposed law provides for an exception to present law, and excludes the standard imposed
fine from applying to persons operating a vehicle and exceeding the speed limit or breaching
a construction zone or utility safety zone on portions of the highway or road under active
construction or maintenance and construction or utility workers are onsite.
Present law specifies that if a person operating a motor vehicle exceeds the speed limit on
the portion of a highway under active construction and construction workers are on site or
in the process of being repaired and construction workers are on site the fine is double the
standard fine imposed.
Proposed law modifies present law by specifying that if a person operating a motor vehicle
exceeds the speed limit or breaches a construction zone or utility safety zone on the portion
of a highway or road under active construction or maintenance, and construction or utility
workers are on site, or in the process of being repaired, and construction or utility workers
are on site, and changes the fine imposed from double the standard fine to not less than $500
nor more than $2,000.
Present law specifies that if a person operates a motor vehicle and violates the provisions of
present law while on the portion of a highway which is designated as a highway safety
corridor pursuant to present law, the fine will be double the standard fine imposed.
Proposed law modifies present law by changing the fine imposed from double the standard
fine to not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,000, or imprisonment for not more than 30
days, or both, unless otherwise specifically provided.
(Amends R.S. 32:57(A)(1), (H), and (I); Adds R.S. 32:57(J))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.