Louisiana legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Louisiana SR169: TRANSPORTATION/DEV DEPT: Directs the Department of Transportation and Development to establish a two-year minimum pilot program for the use of dispute review boards on certain highway and transportation construction projects.
Status: Passed both chambers, May 28, 2026
What the bill says
A resolution To direct the Department of Transportation and Development to establish and study a two-year pilot program for the use of dispute review boards on certain highway and transportation construction projects beginning in the state fiscal year commencing July 1, 2026, and to report to the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works concerning implementation and results of the pilot program.
From the introduced text:
A RESOLUTION To direct the Department of Transportation and Development to establish and study a two-year pilot program for the use of dispute review boards on certain highway and transportation construction projects beginning in the state fiscal year commencing July 1, 2026, and to report to the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works concerning implementation and results of the pilot program. WHEREAS, disputes arising during highway and transportation construction projects can delay work, increase costs, strain project relationships, and lead to claims or litigation after project completion; and WHEREAS, resolving disputes while work is ongoing can preserve project momentum, improve documentation, and allow disagreements to be addressed while the relevant facts, records, personnel, and field conditions remain current; and WHEREAS, a dispute review board is an independent panel composed of at least three members established at the beginning of a construction project to assist the owner and contractor in avoiding disputes and resolving disputes early through informed, neutral, project-specific recommendations; and WHEREAS, dispute review boards are particularly useful on large, complex, or high-risk transportation projects involving disputes concerning contract interpretation, extra Page 1 of SLS 26RS-4435 ORIGINAL SR NO. work, differing site conditions, quantities, payment, delay, acceleration, disruption, and other matters arising out of contract performance; and WHEREAS, a dispute review board process is advisory and nonbinding, preserves …