This bill authorizes Louisiana's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) secretary to establish a "federal permitting parity program" specifically designed to expedite environmental permits for small modular nuclear reactors submitted by electric public utilities. To qualify for expedited processing, utilities must demonstrate that their application is for developing and constructing a small modular reactor and that it aligns with a letter of collaboration between the utility and specified federal agencies, including the Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or EPA. The legislation aims to streamline the environmental permitting process for advanced nuclear power generation projects that have federal government collaboration, potentially accelerating the deployment of small modular reactor technology in Louisiana.

Bill history

2026-02-24 · Senate
Prefiled and under the rules provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary A.
2026-03-09 · Senate
Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary A.
2026-03-17 · Senate
Reported favorably.
2026-03-18 · Senate
Read by title. Ordered engrossed and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-03-24 · Senate
Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-03-25 · House
Received in the House from the Senate, read by title, lies over under the rules.
2026-03-26 · House
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Civil Law and Procedure.
2026-04-13 · House
Reported with amendments (6-0-1). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-14 · House
Reported with Legislative Bureau amendments.
2026-04-15 · House
Read by title, amended, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-04-22 · House
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/23/2026.
2026-04-23 · House
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-27 · Senate
Received from the House with amendments.
2026-04-28 · Senate
Amendments proposed by the House read and concurred in by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays.
2026-04-29 · Senate
Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-04-29 · House
Signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-04-29 · Senate
Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.
2026-04-30 · Senate
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 11.
2026-04-30 · Senate
Effective date 8/1/2026.

Note

Historical import. Session: 2025

Full Bill Text

https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1403784

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