LouisianaNew Orleans water board must seek bids for large purchases
The New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board must seek bids or quotes for purchases at set price levels and get written approval for emergency contracts.
What it does
For purchases over $30,000, the board must advertise for bids and award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder who follows the stated plans and specifications.
For purchases from $10,000 through $30,000, the board must get at least three quotes and keep records about accepted phone quotes and any lower quotes it rejects.
During an emergency, either of two board officials may contract for supplies or materials with written approval. The contract and reasons for the emergency must be reported at the board’s next meeting.
Argument forComparing bids and quotes could help the board weigh prices before buying supplies for New Orleans’s sewer, water, and drainage systems.
Argument againstWritten approval could delay an emergency purchase when board officials need supplies quickly.
More detail
The board must advertise purchases over $30,000 and award contracts to the lowest responsible bidder who follows the advertised plans and specifications. This covers the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board’s purchases over $30,000. The purchase must be for materials or supplies needed to operate, maintain, or repair the board’s sewer, water, or drainage systems.
The board must get at least three quotes for purchases from $10,000 through $30,000. This covers the board’s purchases of materials or supplies in the stated price range for its sewer, water, and drainage systems. The board may receive quotes by phone, fax, email, or another electronic form. If it accepts a phone quote, it must keep written confirmation; it must record why it rejects any lower quote.
During an emergency, the board’s executive director or general superintendent may contract for supplies or materials with written consent from the board president pro tempore or the New Orleans mayor. This applies to emergency contracts made by either named board official. The contract must be reported to the board at its next meeting, along with the reasons for the emergency. The report is due at the board’s next meeting after the contract.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 9Signed by the Governor Jeff Landry. Becomes Act No. 851.Became Law
- Jun 9Effective date: 08/01/2026.
- May 27Signed by the President of the Senate.
- May 27Sent to the Governor for executive approval.To Governor
- May 26Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 32 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#1279). Result: pass.Upper
- May 26Received from the Senate without amendments.Minor
- May 26Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.Minor
- May 20Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.Minor
- May 19Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- May 18Reported favorably.Minor
- Apr 28Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs.Minor
- Apr 27Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Minor
- Apr 23Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 90, nays 2. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#691). Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 22Scheduled for floor debate on 04/23/2026.
- Apr 21Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- Apr 20Reported favorably (15-0).Minor
- Apr 1Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.Minor
- Mar 31Read by title. Lies over under the rules.
- Feb 27Prefiled. To be introduced at a later date.Minor
- Feb 27First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.Introduced
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