A bill that allows Lafayette Consolidated Government to more quickly take private land for infrastructure projects has been signed into law.
Act. 419 of this year’s regular session expands an existing law created to speed up the expropriation process in the Kaliste Saloom widening project. Effective Aug. 1, the law will apply to any drainage, road or bridge project throughout Lafayette Parish.
It requires the government to give a 15-day notice to the property owner before suing to take their property should they be unable to reach an compensation agreement with the property owner.
Gov. John Bel Edwards signed the bill into law on May 23.
Sen. Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, wrote the bill.
Cortez told KATC last month that the bill’s expansion is designed to address critical drainage projects without delay.
