La. Admin. Code tit. 70 § XI-101

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section XI-101 - Exempt Entities

A. The following entities which own vehicles shall have free and unhampered passage on LA 1 when the entity-owned vehicle is being utilized.

1. Law Enforcement

a. Free passage shall be granted to all law enforcement personnel who are employed on a full-time basis and operate law enforcement agency equipment.

b.Law Enforcement Agency, for purposes of this Rule shall mean any agency of the state or its political subdivisions and the federal government who are responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of the criminal, traffic or highway laws of this state or similar federal laws and who are employed in this state. Officers who serve in a voluntary capacity or as honorary officers are not included.

c. Agencies which meet the above criteria shall include the Louisiana State Police, enforcement division agents of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, sheriffs departments, levee board police departments, port police departments, the United States Secret Service, the United States Marshall Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation exclusively.

d. The right of free passage for the state police and law enforcement personnel shall be exercised only by means of automatic vehicular identification toll tags.

e. Upon the written request of the superintendent of state police or the head of an eligible law enforcement agency and payment of the required fee, the department shall issue the number of automatic vehicular identification toll tags requested for use in connection with the exemption from tolls.

f. A reasonable fee shall be charged to offset the cost of the toll tags.

g. The use of the automatic vehicular identification toll tags provided shall be limited to crossings made by state police with state police equipment and by designated law enforcement personnel with law enforcement agency equipment. The appropriate law enforcement agency shall be responsible for any crossing made using the automatic vehicular identification toll tag outside the scope of the exemption from tolls.

2. Emergency Vehicles with Lights Available for Use. All emergency vehicles performing a public service that permits them, under existing laws and regulations, to display emergency vehicle lights in order to carry out police, fire and ambulance functions in accordance with the laws relative thereto, are exempt from payment of tolls (reflects Act 30 of 2010, R.S. 47:820.5.6).

a. Specifically included in this exception are ambulances from Grand Isle Emergency Vehicle Services (Act 826 of 2010, R.S. 47:820.5.6).

b. Specifically included in this exception is a Grand Isle medical transportation van (Act 826 of 2010, R.S. 47:820.5.6).

c. The right of free passage for these emergency vehicles shall be exercised only by means of automatic vehicular identification toll tags.

d. Upon the written request of Grand Isle Emergency Vehicle Services and payment of the required fee, the department shall issue the number of automatic vehicular identification toll tags requested for use in connection with the exemption from tolls.

e. A reasonable fee shall be charged to offset the cost of the toll tags.

f. The use of the automatic vehicular identification toll tags provided shall be limited to crossings made by ambulances owned by the Grand Isle Emergency Vehicle Services and their medical transportation van. The Grand Isle Emergency Vehicle Services shall be responsible for any crossing made using the automatic vehicular identification toll tag outside the scope of the exemption from tolls.

3. Fire Departments

a. The right of free passage on LA 1 for firemen, whether professional or volunteer, shall be exercised only by means of automatic vehicular toll tags.

b. Upon the written request of the chief of a municipal or parish fire department or of a fire prevention district, or of a volunteer fire organization, and upon payment of the required fee, the department shall issue to such department or district or organization the number of automatic vehicular identification toll tags requested for use in connection with the exemption from tolls.

c. A reasonable fee shall be charged to offset the cost of the toll tags.

d. The use of the automatic vehicular identification toll tags provided to a fire department or district shall be limited to travel made by firemen during the performance of fire fighting and related duties. The appropriate fire department or district shall be responsible for any crossing made using the automatic vehicular identification toll tag outside the scope of the exemption from tolls.

e. Procedure for Volunteer Firemen

i. All volunteer fire organizations shall apply to the department and shall certify the following:

(a). the address of the volunteer fire organizations domicile or headquarters;

(b). the general location served by the volunteer fire organization;

(c). that the members of the volunteer fire organization are required to travel across the highway only in performance of official fire fighting or fire prevention services;

(d). the number of crossings made in one year on the facility by members of the organization.

ii. The application must be signed by the chief executive officer of the volunteer fire organization.

4. Employees of the Governing Authority

a. The free passage shall be granted to those persons operating a vehicle which has been designated as an official Grand Isle Levee vehicle (Act 826 of 2010, R.S. 47:820.5.6).

i. The right of free passage for the official Grand Isle Levee vehicle shall be exercised only by means of automatic vehicular identification toll tag.

ii. Upon the written request of the Grand Isle Levee District and payment of the required fee, the department shall issue the number of automatic vehicular identification toll tags requested for use in connection with the exemption from tolls.

iii. A reasonable fee shall be charged to offset the cost of the toll tags.

iv. The use of the automatic vehicular identification toll tags provided shall be limited to crossings made by the official vehicle of the Grand Isle Levee vehicle. The Grand Isle Levee District shall be responsible for any crossing made using the automatic vehicular identification toll tag outside the scope of the exemption from tolls.

b. The free passage shall be granted to logo bearing vehicles of the Grand Isle Port Commission (Act 826 of 2010, R.S. 47:820.5.6).

i. The right of free passage for logo bearing vehicles of the Grand Isle Port Commission shall be exercised only by means of automatic vehicular identification toll tags.

ii. Upon the written request of the Grand Isle Port Commission and payment of the required fee, the department shall issue the number of automatic vehicular identification toll tags requested for use in connection with the exemption from tolls.

iii. A reasonable fee shall be charged to offset the cost of the toll tags.

iv. The use of the automatic vehicular identification toll tags provided shall be limited to crossings made by logo bearing vehicles of the Grand Isle Port Commission. That agency shall be responsible for any crossing made using the automatic vehicular identification toll tag outside the scope of the exemption from tolls.

5. Military Personnel

a. Any person belonging to the organized military of the state, who is in uniform or possesses an order for duty, shall be allowed free passage for himself, his vehicle and the military property of the state in his charge while going to, engaged in or returning from any parade, drill or meeting which he or she is required to attend, or upon being called to, engaging in or returning from any active state duty ordered by the governor.

b. The right of free passage for military personnel shall be exercised only by means of automatic vehicular identification toll tags.

c. Upon the written request of the military personnel and payment of the required fee, the department shall issue the number of automatic vehicular identification toll tags requested for use in connection with the exemption from tolls.

d. A reasonable fee shall be charged to offset the cost of the toll tags.

e. The use of the automatic vehicular identification toll tags provided shall be limited to crossings made by military personnel as described in §101. A.5.a The appropriate military agency shall be responsible for any crossing made using the automatic vehicular identification toll tag outside the scope of the exemption from tolls.

6. Students in School Buses

a. Free passage is offered to students in clearly marked school buses and to the school bus and driver.

b. The right of free passage for students in school buses and the bus and driver shall be exercised only by means of automatic vehicular identification toll tags.

c. Upon the written request of the appropriate school district and payment of the required fee, the department shall issue the number of automatic vehicular identification toll tags requested for use in connection with the exemption from tolls.

d. A reasonable fee shall be charged to offset the cost of the toll tags to reflect the actual costs incurred by the Department of Transportation and Development to purchase the toll tags.

e. The use of the automatic vehicular identification toll tags provided shall be limited to crossings made by the students in school buses. The appropriate school district shall be responsible for any crossing made using the automatic vehicular identification toll tag outside the scope of the exemption from tolls.

7. Mass Transit Vehicles

a. Any publicly owned vehicles and any vehicle used in connection with or in furtherance of the mass transportation of the general public which is owned and operated by any person, firm or corporation engaged in a publicly subsidized transit business or which is owned by a public body shall have free and unhampered passage at all times over the LA 1 facilities.

b. The right of free passage for mass transit vehicles shall be exercised only by means of automatic vehicular identification toll tags.

c. Upon the written request of the owner of the mass transit vehicle, and payment of the required fee, the department shall issue the number of automatic vehicular identification toll tags requested for use in connection with the exemption from tolls.

d. A reasonable fee shall be charged to offset the cost of the toll tags.

e. The use of the automatic vehicular identification toll tags provided shall be limited to crossings made by mass transit vehicles. The appropriate agency shall be responsible for any crossing made using the automatic vehicular identification toll tag outside the scope of the exemption from tolls.

8. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Girls

a. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Girls when assembled in uniform in a parade or group consisting of not less than 15 and under the supervision of a scout master or other responsible person shall have free and unhampered passage at all times over the LA 1 facilities.

b. The right of free passage for Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Girls shall be exercised only by means of automatic vehicular identification toll tags.

c. Upon the written request of the and payment of the required fee, the department shall issue the number of automatic vehicular identification toll tags requested for use in connection with the exemption from tolls.

d. A reasonable fee shall be charged to offset the cost of the toll tags.

e. The use of the automatic vehicular identification toll tags provided shall be limited to crossings made by the above described groups. The appropriate supervisors shall be responsible for any crossing made using the automatic vehicular identification toll tag outside the scope of the exemption from tolls.

9. Residents of Grand Isle

a. Residents of Grand Isle who purchase toll exemption tags shall have free and unhampered passage at all times of the LA 1 facilities.

b. A reasonable fee shall be charged to offset the cost of the toll tags.

c. In order to procure the tag, the resident must show a motor vehicle registration reflecting registration in the zip code for Grand Isle, and one of the following:

i. Louisiana driver's license;

ii. proof of homestead exemption;

iii. voter registration card (Act 826 of 2010, R.S. 47:820.5.6).

d. The accounts of the residents of Grand Isle may cover free passage for multiple plated vehicles, however the resident owner must have registered all vehicles in the Grand Isle zip code and provide one of the items listed in Subparagraph c of this Paragraph.

10. Grand Isle School System Employees

a. The right of free passage for school employees employed by Grand Isle School System under the jurisdiction of the Jefferson Parish School Board shall be exercised only by means of automatic vehicular identification toll tags.

b. For each employee that will be utilizing an automatic vehicular identification toll tag, the appropriate school district shall submit a valid driver's license, vehicle registration certificate, and employment verification documentation.

c. Upon the submission of the requested documentation by the appropriate school district and payment of a deposit for a GeauxPass account, the department or its agents when so designated or authorized by the secretary of the department, shall issue the requested number of automatic vehicular identification toll tags for use in connection with the exemption from tolls.

d. The use of the automatic vehicular identification toll tags provided shall be limited to crossings made by school employees when traveling to and from their workplace on a scheduled work day, as prescribed by the school board, not to exceed two toll-free crossings in one day.

e. The appropriate school district shall be responsible for any crossing made using the automatic vehicular identification toll tag outside the scope of the exemption from tolls.

La. Admin. Code tit. 70, § XI-101

Promulgated by the Department of Transportation and Development, Transportation Authority, L R 38:2380 (September 2012), amended by the Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Operations, LR 41:560 (March 2015), Amended by the Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Operations, LR 44347 (2/1/2018), Amended LR 491567 (9/1/2023).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:426, et seq.