Legislative Session Update - Sales Tax Win & Other Important Bills
LOUISIANA REALTORS • May 25, 2017
The legislative session is set to end by June 8th. The Senate is currently reviewing and debating the 2018 state budget passed by the House. Most of the proposed taxes on real estate services and business either have failed passage or were not brought forth for a committee vote. The proposed budget is then expected to be sent to a conference committee.
Louisiana REALTORS® sponsored Senate Bill 108 by Senator Bodi White passed the House of Representatives unanimously late last week and now awaits the Governor’s signature. Once signed by the Governor the law will take effect on August 1st, 2017. This legislation makes it a misdemeanor for anyone practicing real estate without a license and would require out of state licensees/brokers to either become licensed or work with an existing broker or agent when conducting business in Louisiana.
LR is working to help pass two other important bills making their way through the legislative process:
Senate Bill 140 by Senator Mike Walsworth is a constitutional amendment that would exempt property which is delivered to a construction site for use in the building and construction of the project from ad valorem taxes until the completion of the construction project. The proposed budget is then expected to be sent to a conference committee.
Senate Bill 162 By Senator Conrad Appel makes a technical change to state law which will encourage locals to foster the development of affordable housing units through incentives instead of inclusionary zoning. Studies have shown that inclusionary zoning can cause more harm than good and could affect a developers’ decision to build low income and moderate housing units. This bill will open more avenues through incentives for developers and locals to partner for success in this area.
LR will continue to monitor the session activities to ensure that you and the consumers you serve are not over regulated or taxed. Continue to refer to Legislative Bill Grid or Legislative Session Update page to review in detail all legislation being tracked or call Norman Morris with any questions.
Louisiana’s 2026 Regular Session opened this week with several developments that matter directly to REALTORS ®, property managers and housing providers, alongside some broader political shifts worth watching. HB 292: Security Deposit Return Timelines Rep. Delisha Boyd’s HB 292, which addresses procedures for returning residential security deposits, was deferred to next week. This provides additional time for stakeholders to engage with members on practical impacts for lease administration, move out inspections and documentation standards. We’ll continue working to ensure any changes to deposit law are clear, workable and do not expose housing providers to unreasonable liability. Land Use and Development: St. James Parish Decision The Louisiana Supreme Court’s recent St. James Parish decision significantly tightens the standards for overturning local land use decisions, reinforcing that zoning and permitting authority rests with parish and municipal governments as long as their decisions are not arbitrary or capricious. For real estate and development, that means more predictability if projects are aligned with adopted plans and ordinances, but also higher stakes in local elections, planning processes and parish-level negotiations. Governor’s State of the State In his State of the State address, Governor Jeff Landry reiterated his push to phase out the state income tax, expand the LA GATOR and MJ Foster scholarship and workforce programs, and replace vehicle inspection stickers with a QR code system. These programs frame a debate around long-term competitiveness, workforce readiness and household cost of living which are all key drivers of housing demand and migration patterns. Business & Market Trends The business community is focusing the session on insurance, workforce and energy. Commercial and property insurance costs remain a top concern for employers and property owners, and we are monitoring civil justice and insurance reform proposals that could affect market stability and availability. At the same time, Louisiana is seeing more than $100 billion in announced industrial and data center projects, which could reshape local markets, labor conditions and housing needs in multiple regions of the state. Please view the weekly bill tracking report at the link below provided by our lobbying team over at Harris, DeVille and Associates.
Learn how Louisiana real estate regulations, disclosure laws, and licensing standards help protect homebuyers and create safer, more transparent transactions.
Nominations are open now through April 24, 2026, for the Louisiana REALTORS® 2025 REALTOR® of the Year & the 2025 Lawrence R. DeMarcay, Jr. Distinguished Service Award. Both awards are aimed to showcase an individual who has volunteered their time in service to the real estate industry. Recipients of the awards will be recognized during the Spring Legislative Conference. (Registration coming soon!) Please see the below links with the selection criteria and consider submitting a nomination today. Contact Donna Teekel at (225) 224-0704 or dteekel@larealtors.org with any questions.
