§299.4. Golf carts; safety equipment requirements; exemptions; registration

A. "Golf cart" means an electric four-wheeled vehicle originally intended for use off-road on golf courses and other green spaces whose maximum speed is twenty-five miles per hour.

B. The operation of a golf cart upon the public roads or streets of this state is prohibited, except as otherwise provided in this Subsection:

(1) A golf cart may be operated only upon a parish road that has been designated by a parish or a municipal street that has been designated by a municipality for use by a golf cart. Upon a designation that a golf cart may be operated on a designated road or street, the responsible governmental entity shall post appropriate signage indicating that such operation is authorized.

(2) A golf cart may be used to cross a part of a state highway where a golf course is constructed on both sides of the state highway if the Department of Transportation and Development has issued a permit for the crossing.

C. A golf cart operated on a parish road or municipal street shall be equipped with efficient brakes, a reliable steering apparatus, safe tires, a rearview mirror, and red reflectorized warning devices in both the front and rear of the vehicle. Such golf cart shall also be equipped with headlamps, front and rear turn signal lamps, tail lamps, and brake lamps.

D. Any golf cart operated upon a parish road or municipal street shall be registered with the state of Louisiana through the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles, as an off-road vehicle and shall display a decal issued by the office of motor vehicles.

E. No person shall operate a golf cart upon a parish road or municipal street without a valid driver's license.

F. Any golf cart operated upon a parish road or municipal street shall have liability insurance with the same minimum limits as required by the provisions of R.S. 32:900(B).

G.(1) A parish or municipal government may enact an ordinance relating to golf cart operation and require equipment which is more extensive than those enumerated in this Section. Upon enactment of such ordinance, the parish or municipal government shall post appropriate signage or otherwise inform residents that such an ordinance exists and that it will be enforced within the parish or municipal government's jurisdictional territory.

(2) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any parish or municipal ordinance that was in effect prior to January 1, 2015, shall be exempt from the requirements of this Section.

(3) Nothing contained in this Section shall be construed to prohibit parish or municipal governments from prohibiting the operation of any golf cart on any parish road or municipal street under its jurisdiction if such parish or municipal government determines that such prohibition is necessary for the safety of the motoring public.

H. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, public safety services, shall promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, subject to oversight by the House and Senate committees on transportation, highways and public works, as necessary to implement the provisions of this Section. Such rules and regulations shall become effective no later than January 15, 2016.

Acts 2015, No. 308, §1.