2026 Legislative Session Scoop - Week 9 Recap

Week 9 brought several major Louisiana REALTORS® priorities into posture as the Legislature moved deeper into the final stretch of the session.

Two of our top priority bills, HB 468 and HB 1027 both by Representative Troy Hebert, cleared the Legislative Bureau and advanced to the Senate floor calendar for third reading and final passage. HB 468, our residential wholesaling regulation bill, remains one of the most important consumer protection measures of the session. The bill brings transparency, accountability, and clear rules of the road to residential real estate wholesaling in Louisiana. HB 468 previously passed the House by a vote of 96–0 and is now positioned for final Senate consideration.

HB 1027, which clarifies that licensed real estate appraisers are not liable for a seller’s failure to comply with carbon monoxide detector requirements, also advanced to the Senate floor calendar after previously passing the House by a vote of 90–0.

Both bills remain in strong posture, and Louisiana REALTORS® will continue working for final passage as they move through the Senate.

Another major development this week was the House passage of HB 1166 by Representative Kim Carver, which passed unanimously on May 5, 103–0. HB 1166 creates a practical disclosure framework for vacant residential property transactions and is designed to help buyers, sellers and real estate professionals avoid late-stage surprises involving access, utilities, drainage, flood risk, prior use and other material property conditions. This bill has been a key part of Louisiana REALTORS®’ consumer protection and transactional clarity agenda. HB 1166 was received in the Senate on May 7 and now moves into the Senate side of the process, where Louisiana REALTORS® will continue working closely with the author and stakeholders as the bill advances.

Tort reform and civil justice issues also moved forward this week. HB 437 by Representative Michael Melerine, which addresses the award of expert witness fees in civil litigation, passed the House by a vote of 75–18 and was received in the Senate on May 7.

HB 1089 by Representative Dennis Bamburg Jr., which creates structured CARE Accounts for certain categories of tort damages, passed the House by a vote of 67–29 and was also received in the Senate. Louisiana REALTORS® continue to support meaningful tort reform as part of the broader effort to improve Louisiana’s legal environment, reduce litigation-driven costs, and help stabilize the property insurance market. A more predictable civil justice system directly supports property owners, consumers, businesses and the long-term health of Louisiana’s real estate market.

Property insurance remains one of the most important issues facing homeowners and property owners across the state. HB 1187 by Representative Paul Sawyer, dealing with Citizens Property Insurance emergency assessments, has been received in the Senate and referred to the Senate Insurance Committee after previously passing the House by a vote of 87–9. Several additional insurance-related measures remain active, including bills addressing fortified roof endorsements, stated-value homeowner policies, insurance notice requirements, nonrenewal restrictions, and pre-suit claim review.

HB 408, which addresses insurance nonrenewal prohibitions, and HB 1210, which addresses mandatory pre-suit claim review, remain pending in the House Insurance Committee.

Louisiana REALTORS® will continue to closely monitor these measures because insurance affordability, availability and market stability remain central to housing affordability and private property ownership in Louisiana.

Several Senate bills also continued moving through the House processes this week. SB 241 by Senator Valarie Hodges, which requires insurance adjusters and appraisers to include their license numbers in written communications, cleared the Legislative Bureau on May 6 and returned to the House floor calendar. This measure remains relevant to transparency, accountability, and consumer confidence in the insurance claims process.

SB 180 by Senator Franklin Foil, which allows surviving spouses of deceased disabled veterans to transfer their expanded property tax exemption, was scheduled for House floor debate this week and remains a positive homeowner protection and property tax fairness measure.

Louisiana REALTORS® also continues to monitor legislation dealing with blight, redevelopment and rent stabilization. HB 284 by Representative John Wyble, which would authorize certain parishes and municipalities to expropriate blighted property by declaration of taking, remained on the House calendar this week as a notice-given, subject-to-call bill. The bill previously failed on the House floor by a narrow vote of 48–47 and remains under active reconsideration. Blight policy is important, but redevelopment tools must be balanced with private property rights, due process, and protections for property owners.

HB 472 by Representative Alonzo Knox, which would authorize municipalities to implement rent stabilization programs, remains involuntarily deferred in committee.

Louisiana REALTORS® continues to oppose rent control and rent stabilization proposals in any form because these policies reduce housing supply, discourage investment, and ultimately worsen affordability challenges over time.

As we move into Week 10, Louisiana REALTORS® will remain focused on securing final Senate passage of HB 468 and HB 1027, advancing HB 1166 through the Senate, and continuing to engage on the tort reform and insurance measures that directly affect property owners, housing affordability and the real estate profession.

With REALTOR® Day at the Capitol taking place during this critical stretch of the session, member engagement will be especially important as legislators continue to make decisions on real estate, insurance, liability, redevelopment and private property rights issues.

Please view the weekly bill tracking report provided by our lobbying team over at Harris, DeVille and Associates.