2024 Legislative Session Wrap-up

2024 Regular Legislative Session Successes

Real Estate Licensing Law

Louisiana REALTORS® was proud to support changes to the real estate licensing law requiring all real estate licensees to have buyer agreements. HB 366/Act 690 by Rep. Paula Davis, R-Baton Rouge, passed, has been signed by the governor and goes into effect August 19.

Real Estate Service Agreements

Louisiana REALTORS® supported legislation making it an unfair trade practice actionable by the Attorney General to secure a real estate service agreement with a mortgage or other encumbrance. SB 506/Act 363 by Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, passed and has been signed by the governor.

Property Insurance

During the recent legislative session, the Legislature debated many pieces of legislation designed to attract companies writing property insurance back to Louisiana. Louisiana REALTORS® was supportive of this effort to provide confidence to the insurance industry to stimulate competition; legislation of interest that passed follows:

• HB 120/Act 8 by Rep. Matthew Willard, D-New Orleans, repeals the sunset on the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program.
• HB 611/Act 9 by Rep. Gabe Firment, R-Pollock, phases out the three-year rule for property insurance, an issue carriers have identified as a major impediment to investment in Louisiana.
• SB 295/Act 10 by Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, shifts Louisiana from "prior approval" to "file in use" and will allow insurers more flexibility to price their product and remove another burden that slows down the process. Act 10
• SB 323/Act 3 by Sen. Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, establishes a process for good faith and fair dealing in the claims process, removing the ambiguity in the law that hinders swift claims resolution.

Louisiana Citizens

HB 428/Act 401 by Rep. Delisha Boyd, D-New Orleans, The bill allows a Louisiana Citizens’ policyholder to request to that tangible personal property be excluded from their policy. If granted, Louisiana Citizens could calculate an actuarially justified reduction in the property owner’s premium. LR supported the bill.

SB 113/Act 757 by Sen. Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, removes the requirement that Louisiana Citizens’ rates must be at least 10% higher than private insurance companies’ between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2027.