§2779. Construction contracts, subcontracts, and purchase orders; certain provisions invalid

            A.(1) For purposes of this Chapter, "construction contract" means any agreement for the design, construction, alteration, renovation, repair, or maintenance of a building, structure, highway, road, bridge, water line, sewer line, oil line, gas line, appurtenance, or other improvement to real property, or repair or maintenance of a highway, road, or bridge, including any moving, demolition, or excavation.

            (2) "Construction contract" does not include any design, construction, alteration, renovation, repair, or maintenance of the following:

            (a) Any dirt or gravel road used to access oil and gas wells and associated facilities.

            (b) Oil flow lines or gas gathering lines used in association with the transportation of production from oil and gas wells from the point that oil and gas becomes comingled for transportation to oil storage facilities or gas transmission lines.

            (c) Any deed, lease, easement, license, or other instrument granting an interest in or the right to possess property even if the instrument includes the right to design, construct, alter, renovate, repair, or maintain improvements on such real property.

            (d) Upstream, midstream, or downstream oil, gas, chemical, petrochemical, or fuel manufacturing facilities or infrastructure, including refineries, processing plants, terminals, or associated appurtenant structures and facilities.

            B. The legislature finds that, with respect to construction contracts, subcontracts, and purchase orders for public and private works projects, when one of the parties is domiciled in Louisiana, and the work to be done and the equipment and materials to be supplied involve construction projects in this state, any provision in such agreements requiring disputes to be resolved in a forum outside of this state or requiring their interpretation to be governed by the laws of another jurisdiction are inequitable and against the public policy of this state.

            C. The legislature hereby declares null, void, and unenforceable as against public policy any provision in a contract, subcontract, or purchase order, as described in Subsection B of this Section, which either:

            (1) Requires a suit or arbitration proceeding to be brought in a forum or jurisdiction outside of this state; rather, such actions or proceedings may be pursued in accordance with the Code of Civil Procedure or other laws of this state governing similar actions.

            (2) Requires interpretation of the agreement according to the laws of another jurisdiction.

            D. The provisions of this Section apply to contracts, subcontracts, and purchase orders as described in Subsection B of this Section.

            E. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the provisions of this Section do not apply to negotiated labor contracts.

            Acts 1991, No. 217, §1; Acts 2026, No. 132, §1.