RECAP: 2018 Legislative Session (Week 1)
LOUISIANA REALTORS • March 16, 2018

The first week of the 2018 Legislative Regular Session is over and very few substantive bills have been moved to the House or Senate floor. It is expected that many bills will be heard in committee next week and things will start moving at a faster pace. Louisiana REALTORS® will provide regular updates on items throughout session.
HOUSE BILL NO. 383 - LOUISIANA FIRST HOME
REALTOR® MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RESPOND TO THE ACTIVE
CALL FOR ACTION AND CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS TO SUPPORT THIS BILL.
House Bill No. 383 by Representative Paula Davis (creating a rebate for first time home buyers) will be heard by the House Ways and Means Committee Tuesday, March 20th. Louisiana REALTORS® legislative team was at the Capitol this week promoting the bill and received mostly good feedback. However, there are legislators who are concerned about passing any type of rebate this year as the state continues to face a fiscal deficit.
CALL FOR ACTION - HB #383
LEGISLATIVE BILL REVIEW
Louisiana REALTORS® will conduct the annual bill review session on Wednesday, March 21st at LR offices. At this meeting, REALTORS® and staff go over close to one hundred bills that have been identified as potentially affecting the real estate industry. LR will provide a grid to track these bills throughout the session. If you have specific comments or questions regarding any legislation proposed, contact Kim Callaway - Director of Legal & Governmental Affairs.
REGISTER TO ATTEND REALTOR DAY® ON APRIL 24
Preparations are underway in Baton Rouge for the annual Spring Into Action Conference.
The event will provide great information on what's happening in the industry and your local boards are working with LR to have a strong member presence for REALTOR® Day. Register by Wednesday, March 28 and guarantee the REALTOR® Day shirt before the event!

NAR is pleased to share the latest consumer guide focused on how the VA Home Loan offers a great path to homeownership for current and former military service members. As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow a few days for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: What Is the VA Home Loan Guaranty? 10 Tips for Packing Smartly for a Move State and Local Tax (SALT) Deductions Buying a Historic Property Making Your Home More Energy Efficient Working with a Real Estate Attorney Thank you for your continued engagement with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with prospective clients to ensure they have the information they need to find success in their homebuying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Be on the lookout for the next consumer guide, which outlines requirements for private mortgage insurance and how it protects lenders and consumers.