Summary of Legislative Eventsof Note
LOUISIANA REALTORS • May 11, 2018
SENATE BILL NO. 462, SENATOR DANNY MARTINY – INCLUSIONARY ZONING
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This bill has one final step to make prior to going to Governor Edward’s desk for action. Louisiana REALTORS® is unsure if Governor Edwards will sign or veto the bill given that many legislators in his party oppose the bill, but we will keep members updated.
As for the subject matter of the bill, 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.
HOUSE BILL NO. 372, REPRESENTATIVE PATRICK CONNICK -
REGULATION OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
House Bill No. 372 would require administrative rules sought to be promulgated by boards and commissions, including but not limited to the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC), to undergo additional review to ensure that occupational licensing boards and their board members will avoid liability under federal antitrust laws.
If passed this legislation would ensure that if any of our members accept positions as LREC commissioners that they will not be personally liable for actions taken by LREC.
At the request of Representative Connick, Louisiana REALTORS® was at the table at every meeting where associations representatives negotiated amendments for the bill. We worked tirelessly with representatives of a coalition of 40+ national and state associations to ensure that these amendments were adopted in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs. Ultimately, amendments were put on the bill that put it in a posture that Louisiana REALTORS® and a majority of associations accepted. The bill now goes before the entire Senate and will be sent to the House of Representatives for concurrence in the amendments.
HOUSE BILL NO. 748, REPRESENTATIVE EMERSON - REGULATION OF LAWS GOVERNING BOARDS AND COMMISSION
In the form this bill left the House of Representatives, it could have been read to require state government approval of any certifications members of private trade associations receive from private entities. This could have included certifications issued by NAR and other real estate groups.
Louisiana REALTORS® along with approximately 50 other associations officially submitted opposition to this bill when it was presented in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs.
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs understood the position of the opposition and significantly modified to bill to remove much of the opposition, including those who opposed the bill because of the certification language. The bill now goes before the entire Senate and will be sent to the House of Representatives for concurrence in the amendments.
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.
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