Summary of Legislative Events of Note
LOUISIANA REALTORS • May 4, 2018
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® supports this bill and has lobbied members of the House of Representatives to vote in favor of this bill. As of today, the bill is scheduled for debate by the House of Representatives, Monday, May 7th.
REGULATION OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS – HOUSE BILL NO. 372, REPRESENTATIVE PATRICK CONNICK
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 a review by a new commission 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.
Representative Connick is working with Louisiana REALTORS® and other organizations to address any concerns with the bill.
REGULATION OF LAWS GOVERNING BOARDS AND COMMISSION – HOUSE BILL NO. 748, REPRESENTATIVE EMERSON
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Representative Emerson’s intent with this bill is to address the perceived overregulation of occupations and professions by the state, but Louisiana REALTORS® does not believe this bill accomplishes this in its current form. The bill is overregulation in an attempt to deregulate which Louisiana REALTORS® and a growing number of organizations oppose.
The Legislature already has oversight of the statutes, rules and regulations governing occupational boards and commissions such as the LREC. The additional requirements LREC would have to undertake due to this legislation becoming law could necessitate an increase in your state license fees which we would not support at this time.
We understand the need for the state to increase economic opportunities, promote competition and encourage innovation and will continue to ask Representative Emerson to please to study this issue prior to passing state law on the matter. However, should Representative Emerson not take this approach or significantly change the bill we will be asking that you take part in a call to action against the bill.
Louisiana REALTORS® CEO Norman Morris issued the following statement after SpaceX announced plans to invest $100 billion in a new launch facility in Vermilion Parish. The project is expected to create 3,000 direct jobs and more than 8,100 indirect jobs across Acadiana. “SpaceX’s investment is an extraordinary economic win for Louisiana. We congratulate Governor Jeff Landry, Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois, Vermilion Parish leaders, and everyone who helped bring this historic project home. The housing and infrastructure improvements needed to support more than 11,000 new job opportunities should generate a huge economic boost to the Acadiana and Gulf Coast region. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, each typical Louisiana home sale generates approximately $88,600 in economic activity. Even if only half of the new SpaceX related jobs lead to a home purchase, the impact would generate nearly half a billion dollars across our state's economy. That improves our tax base and school systems, and ripples through our economy touching builders, bankers, hardware stores, appliance dealers, contractors and so many more. “Housing is not downstream of economic development; it is an essential infrastructure. Louisiana REALTORS® and our partners stand ready to help turn these new jobs into homes, stronger communities and lasting roots in Louisiana. Economic development creates jobs, but housing turns those jobs into homes. Let’s make Louisiana home again, together.” Economic-impact estimates are illustrative calculations by Louisiana REALTORS® using employment projections from Louisiana Economic Development and the National Association of REALTORS®’ estimated economic impact per typical Louisiana home sale. They are not forecasts or recurring annual-impact figures. Enjoy the video below from the Louisiana Department of Economic Development .
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