Municipal governing authorities may grant certain franchises to use streets and public places, and the Louisiana Public Service Commission may require utilities to show franchise fees as a separate line item on bills.
SUBPART C. GRANT OF FRANCHISE BY PARTICULAR CLASSES OF MUNICIPALITIES §4401. Granting franchise to use streets for telephone, telegraph, electric light, water and gas system A. The governing authorities of all municipalities may grant a franchise to any person to use and occupy the streets, alleys, and public places therein, and to obstruct the same or any part thereof, by constructing, maintaining, and operating (1) poles, wires, and appurtenances for telephone, telegraph, and electric transmission and distribution systems and (2) pipelines, mains for a water or gas transportation and distribution system. These franchises shall not be exclusive, nor be for a longer period than sixty years and shall be subject to any terms, conditions and stipulations prescribed by the governing authorities of the municipalities. This Section shall not apply to municipalities which are required under the provisions of their charter to hold referendum elections to grant or lease franchises. B. Notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, on or after January 1, 2013, the Louisiana Public Service Commission may require that whenever a municipality imposes a franchise fee upon a public utility which the utility collects or recovers from the utility's consumers, the utility's monthly billing statement shall specifically and clearly include a separate line item for the applicable franchise fee, with the name of the municipality imposing the fee, the total amount or rate of the franchise fee, and the total amount of the billing attributable to the fee. Amended by Acts 1972, No. 189, §1; Acts 2012, No. 766, §1, eff. June 12, 2012.