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SCR 38

JOINT RULES: Repeals Joint Rule No. 7, relative to the Atchafalaya Basin Program Oversight Committee.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Caleb Kleinpeter

repeal of Joint Rule No. 7 would dissolve the Atchafalaya Basin Program Oversight Committee, removing a formal joint oversight forum.

Sent to the Secretary of State by the Secretary of the Senate on 5/22/2026.
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Bill Summary · SCR 38

Summary: SCR 38 (2026) – Repeal of Joint Rule No. 7 (Atchafalaya Basin Program Oversight Committee)

What the bill is

  • Louisiana Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 38 (SCR 38), introduced in the 2026 Regular Session, proposes repealing Joint Rule No. 7 of the Joint Rules of Order of the Senate and House of Representatives.
  • The repeal would take effect on the second Monday in March 2026, provided SCR 38 is adopted.

Purpose and intent

  • The primary purpose is to eliminate the existing special joint committee known as the Atchafalaya Basin Program Oversight Committee.
  • This committee was established to monitor, review, and make recommendations regarding all aspects of the Atchafalaya Basin Program within the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which dates back to 1998.

Key provisions (as currently existing before repeal)

  • The Atchafalaya Basin Program Oversight Committee is a special joint committee consisting of all members of both chambers who represent wholly or partly the parishes of: Assumption, Avoyelles, Iberia, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Landry, St. Martin, and St. Mary.
  • The committee is to select a chairman and a vice chairman from among its members.
  • Staffing: The committee would receive staff support from the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources.
  • The committee may request data and assistance from state departments, agencies, or officials (notably the DNR and its secretary) and may engage the assistance of private sources as needed.

Who is affected

  • Legislative members representing the specified Atchafalaya Basin-parish region (as defined above) who participate in the Atchafalaya Basin Program Oversight Committee.
  • The DNR and its secretary, along with other state departments or agencies, as the committee historically engages with them for information and support.
  • Staff from the House and Senate natural resources committees who presently provide or coordinate support to the oversight committee.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: The repeal would take effect on the second Monday in March 2026, contingent on SCR 38 being adopted.
  • Enactment mechanism: SCR 38 itself would repeal Joint Rule No. 7, i.e., it is a housekeeping measure to remove the established oversight committee framework from the Joint Rules.
  • Current status: As of the latest actions, SCR 38 was reported with amendments (April 22, 2026) and previously introduced (April 20, 2026). It is awaiting further consideration or passage.

Practical impact and considerations

  • If adopted, the Atchafalaya Basin Program Oversight Committee under Joint Rule No. 7 would be dissolved (the rule repealed).
  • Ongoing oversight and accountability related to the Atchafalaya Basin Program would need to be conducted through alternative mechanisms not defined by the repealed joint rule, such as other standing committees, ad hoc inquiries, or separate legislation—depending on how the Legislature chooses to proceed.
  • Stakeholders including basin-parish representatives, DNR, and staff would lose the formal oversight forum specified in Joint Rule No. 7 unless alternative oversight arrangements are created.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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