2018 Legislative Session (Week 4)
LOUISIANA REALTORS • April 9, 2018
UPDATES FROM BILLS DISCUSSED IN WEEK 3
HOUSE BILL NO. 659, REPRESENTATIVE KENNY HAVARD, LIMITATIONS ON NON-CONSENSUAL TOWING
This bill would have put additional requirements on property owners who have vehicles towed off their lots for parking violations. Louisiana REALTORS® raised several concerns and the bill’s author was agreeable to preserving current law and property rights by amending the bill to address those concerns.
However, the bill was defeated after much opposition from the towing industry.
HOUSE BILL NO. 617, REPRESENTATIVE STEPHANIE HILFERTY, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY DISCLOSURE
Louisiana REALTORS® had this legislation filed to clarify existing law following the Valobra v. Nelson case and subsequent changes to the residential property form.
The bill passed the House with unanimously and now heads to the Senate for further consideration.
SENATE BILL NO. 462, SENATOR DANNY MARTINY – INCLUSIONARY ZONING
Currently, Louisiana allows municipalities and parishes to pass inclusionary zoning ordinances to promote the development of affordable housing. Inclusionary zoning requires housing developers to sell or rent a proportion of their units below market rate, regardless of the economics of a project or whether the developer receives just compensation. Senate Bill 462 would instead allow municipalities and parishes to offer VOLUNTARY economic incentive policies to promote the development of affordable housing.
Louisiana REALTORS® will be resending a call to action next week to members who have not responded to the call to action on this important bill.
ADDITIONAL BILLS
HOUSE BILL NO. 386, REPRESENTATIVE KATRINA JACKSON, CHANGES TO SECURITY DEPOSITS FOR RESIDENTIAL LEASES
This bill proposed a law change on security deposits for residential leases and potentially placed additional burdens on residential lessors. Louisiana REALTORS® was opposed to certain components of this bill. The bill was defeated in the House Commerce Committee after much debate. There is a similar Senate bill that we will continue to monitor.
HOUSE BILL NO. 653, REPRESENTATIVE SIMON, INCLUDES ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS AS LIFE SAFETY EQUIPMENT
This bill would require property owners to register elevators and escalators in their commercial buildings with the State Fire Marshal and to allow the state fire marshal to inspect these devices.
REALTOR® members expressed concerns that there are currently parishes and municipalities that already inspect these devices and the proposed law would have property owners in these areas subject to two inspections. An amendment was placed on the bill to exempt parishes and municipalities that are already inspecting these devices therefore only requiring property owners in these parishes and municipalities to have their elevators and escalators inspected by one entity.
REGULATION OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
Several bills are going through the legislature to modify how boards and commissions operate. Some of these bills would have an impact on real estate licensees and LR will continue to work with the authors of these bills and will update members on changes or impacts as session progresses.
ACCESS THE BILL TRACKER
As previewed last week, NAR is pleased to share the latest consumer guide focused on Buyer’s vs. Seller’s Markets. This guide explains how knowing whether conditions favor buyers or sellers can help consumers make smarter, more confident decisions when buying or selling a home. 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: Buyer’s vs. Seller’s Markets Estate Planning Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction Understanding & Protecting Yourself from Title Fraud Buying Land and Building a New Home Deeds and Titles Thank you for continuing to engage with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with prospective clients so that they have the information they need to find success in their homebuying or selling journey. Please 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 next week’s guide on Wednesday, which will cover assistance programs.
Many homeowners don't realize how much equity they've built—or how a REALTOR® can help them turn it into the key to their next home.
Louisiana REALTORS® successfully hosted their annual Spring Into Action Legislative Conference in Baton Rouge on May 6-7, 2025. The two-day event provided REALTORS® the latest in industry changing issues while engaging in conversations with the state’s legislators and their peers. The conference kicked off with a pre-conference Appraiser Day hosting education devoted to that specialty. That evening, the LARPAC fundraising event celebrated Cinco de Mayo with the 80s cover band The Spazmatics and both live and silent auctions. The next day, REALTOR® Day, began with a breakfast expo with tabletop one-on-one discussions with partners of the real estate industry. Attendees then took part in education sessions on fair housing, code of ethics and professionalism. After a luncheon full of legislative updates from Louisiana REALTORS®, Senate President Cameron Henry, Jr. and NAR President Kevin Sears, attendees braved the weather and headed to the Capitol to advocate to lawmakers about the key issues impacting the real estate industry. The conversations continued at the Legislative Reception later that evening. From in-depth legislative updates to face-to-face meetings with our elected officials, this event brought our community together to amplify our voices and shape the future of real estate. Other conference highlights included a reception for our YPN members, local leadership forums and governance meetings. On Wednesday, Misty Ingersoll was elected as the 2026 Secretary/Treasurer and Marsha McGraw-Barbera was elected as NAR Small Board rep by the LR Board of Directors. Additionally, the following were elected to their 2026 positions by means of acclamation: David Favret, President-Elect; Kyle Straughn, Region I RVP; Tim Castle, Region II RVP; Leslie Victory Ortego, Region III RVP; Sabrina Pierre, Region IV RVP; Cindy Dyer, NAR Medium Board; David McKey, NAR State Allocated Specialty Director. Congratulations to Eloise Gauthier on receiving the REALTOR® of the Year Award! Louisiana REALTORS® looks forward to hosting REALTORS® from around the state at the Fall Governance Meetings and Installation, October 6-8, 2025, at the Renaissance Hotel in Baton Rouge. Take a peek of a quick recap on the day in the video and below! We would like to thank our sponsors La Capitol Federal Credit Union , Guard Home Warranty , realtor.com , The CCIM Institute Louisiana Chapter , CRS and Women's Council of REALTORS® Louisiana for their generous support in helping make this conference happen!
