Legislation was passed during the 2026 session which will significantly impact all Louisiana 811 stakeholders. Two bills were passed (ACT Numbers 902 and 161) that became law effective August 1, 2026.
ACT No. 902 addresses important issues such as mandatory positive response, mandatory membership with Louisiana 811, and requirements for excavators performing Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funded projects. Mandating positive response is certainly beneficial to excavators and demolishers because it provides the status of the markings by utility/facility companies (our members) prior to the mark-by time. Many members already provided this information to excavators and demolishers, but this ensures all members respond to excavators and demolishers through our system, eliminating assumptions.
The BEAD-funded project requirements outlined in this legislation are much more complex. It requires Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to use our Large Project ticket process, providing at least a 30-day notice to our members prior to excavation activity. It also requires our members to take action and correspond with the ISPs after receiving a BEAD-related Large Project ticket to set up a meeting between both parties. Written agreements between the parties that outline the marking schedule and other details must then be uploaded to our system for documentation purposes. Other provisions exist, so I encourage readers to review the flowchart on page 19.
ACT No. 161 addresses mandatory damage reporting of underground or submerged facilities to our center. This is in addition to notification directly to the utility/facility operator that currently exists in our law. These notifications can be called in to the center at 8-1-1 or can be entered online. Our role will then be to disperse this information to the impacted members.
You can view the language in these ACTS by following this link: www.legis.la.gov, selecting “Bills” then “ACT Numbers”. I highly encourage our readers to familiarize themselves with these changes.
In closing, don’t forget to check out our “Get The Scoop” online meetings. The purpose of these one-hour or so meetings is to educate all stakeholders on topics such as: how to effectively use our online ticket-entry tools, how to use new features including TICKET TALK, and how to properly use the Pre-Design or Large Project ticket. Check out our calendar of events page to see when, where, and how to participate in these free informational events at www.louisiana811.com/events-calendar/.
Until next time, God bless and keep safe!