La. Stat. tit. 33 § 4366
The abutting property holders along any public road extending into or through two or more parishes may petition their respective police juries to sell, as one entire franchise, the right to construct, maintain, and operate a railway on the road. The several police juries on receipt of such petition shall in public session canvass the petition, and if they find that it is signed by a majority in number and amount of the abutting property holders along that portion of the public road lying in their parish, they shall declare the result of the canvass and shall forthwith select a committee composed of three members of the police jury to meet and act with a like committee from the several police juries from the parishes through which the proposed railroad is to be constructed. The committees so appointed by the respective police juries shall meet and fix the terms and conditions and specifications of the franchise proposed to be sold, as well as the time, place and manner of advertisement and sale thereof. The franchise so agreed upon by the committee shall be submitted at a special meeting called for that purpose to the respective police juries for their approval and adoption. Upon the adoption of the franchise by the several police juries of the several parishes through which the railway is to be constructed, it shall be advertised and sold at the time and in the place and manner fixed by the committees acting jointly, to the person offering to pay the highest cash price.
La. R.S. § 33:4366