Louisiana Senate Bill SB512

Louisiana 2010 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/29/10
• Refer: 3/29/10
• Report Pass: 5/10/10
• Engrossed: 5/12/10
• Refer: 5/13/10
• Report Pass: 5/27/10
• Enrolled: 6/14/10
• Chaptered: 6/25/10
• Passed: 6/25/10

Caption

Increases the limit under which the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board may perform construction work for its public systems. (gov sig)

Impact

The amendment to R.S. 33:4085(A) is expected to have a significant impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of public system maintenance and improvements in New Orleans. By increasing the financial authorization for self-performed construction work, the bill empowers the Sewerage and Water Board to address local infrastructure needs more promptly, potentially reducing backlog and improving service delivery to citizens. The increased limit facilitates quicker turnarounds for infrastructure projects, particularly in urgent situations where time is of the essence.

Summary

Senate Bill 512 aims to amend the existing legislation governing the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans by increasing the limit on the total value of construction work that the board can perform with its own forces. Specifically, the bill raises this financial threshold from a previously lower amount to one hundred fifty thousand dollars. This legislative change is intended to streamline operations for the board, allowing them to carry out necessary construction projects and maintenance without needing to rely on external contractors for smaller jobs.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment towards SB512 appears to be positive among its supporters, who argue that empowering local agencies can enhance responsiveness to community needs. Advocates, including local officials and infrastructure proponents, emphasize that this bill could lead to more efficient resource utilization. However, as the documentation lacks extensive discussion or opposition details, it’s unclear if there are significant points of contention being raised in the legislative or public discourse regarding this bill.

Contention

While the bill primarily seems to garner support, one potential area of contention could relate to the concerns about the limits of self-performance work versus the need for competitive bidding processes. Some stakeholders might argue that increasing the self-performing limit could inadvertently reduce transparency and accountability within the procurement process and that it might limit opportunities for local contractors. However, these concerns were not highlighted in the available materials.