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.
From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple joined Governor Jeff Landry and Senate Insurance Committee Chairman Kirk Talbot today to announce that Louisiana is investing an additional $20 million in Fortified homes, bringing the total amount invested in state Fortified projects this year to $100 million. Governor Landry announced that $20 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be transferred to the Louisiana Office of Community Development Restore Resilient Opportunities for Overhead Fortification (Restore ROOF) program to strengthen residential structures and reduce long-term disaster risk. Earlier this year, the Legislature passed a bill that allows $50 million in additional Katrina and Rita bond money from Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to be added to the Department of Insurance’s Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP). Also beginning this year, LFHP is projected to receive approximately $30 million annually from taxes and fees the Louisiana Department of Insurance collects from the insurance industry. “Building stronger homes is a vital part of making homeowners insurance affordable in Louisiana,” said Commissioner Temple. “I appreciate Governor Landry’s leadership and support as we work with legislators like Chairman Talbot to make Louisiana a national leader in the adoption of Fortified roofs.” The Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) has finalized its promulgation of Regulation 136—Fortify Homes Premium Discounts. The purpose of Regulation 136 is to implement the statutory provisions set forth in La. R.S. 22:1483, et seq. , which require that all Louisiana property and casualty insurers provide premium discounts or insurance rate reductions for homes constructed or upgraded in accordance with the fortified standards created by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. View Regulation 136 here .
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