Civil Justice Reform in Week 3 of 2019 Legislative Session

Louisiana REALTORS • April 21, 2019

Written by Kim Callaway, Director of Legal & Governmental Affairs

The theme of the third week of the 2019 Louisiana Legislative Session was “civil justice reform”.  The House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure heard bills seeking to address laws that many believe are focused on high dollar verdicts rather than accident victims obtaining justice.  In turn, these verdicts can act as an incentive for other citizens to file frivolous lawsuits.  Many believe this litigious climate is one cause for our high insurance rates and one of the primary reasons businesses decline to locate here.

In an effort to change the laws that may drive this culture, Representative Kirk Talbot filed House Bill No. 372 .  After a lengthy hearing, the bill was reported out of the House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure on April 15th.  This means that the bill will likely be heard on the House Floor on Tuesday, April 23rd. 

LABI explains that House Bill No. 372 contains “numerous common-sense reforms to Louisiana’s broken legal system” that will “that will hopefully lead to better auto insurance rates for Louisiana individuals, families and businesses.”  Click here for more about the bill from LABI.

But how does this affect you as a REALTOR®?  

In a recent survey of members of Louisiana REALTORS®, you told us that keeping up with technology was your biggest operational concern, but the top second and third concerns were the potential for litigation and insurance costs.

House Bill No. 372 and other bills attempting to make changes to Louisiana’s legal system were filed to change aspects of our law that many believe drive our “sue happy” culture which in turn drives up your insurance costs.  If these bills become law, the hope is that your potential for litigation will be reduced and your insurance costs will go down.  However, the passage of a bill cannot guarantee these things will happen, but then again neither can going along with the status quo.

Other items of interest in Week Three:

House Bill No. 83, Representative Jimmy Harris

What:  Would extend the sunset of the tax credit for rehabilitation of nonresidential historic structures to January 1, 2026  

Position:  For

Why:  This program has helped preserve many historic buildings throughout Louisiana. 

House Bill No. 83 was reported out of the House Committee on Ways and Means this week and will soon be heard on the House Floor.  The tax credit for rehabilitation of nonresidential historic tax structures is now set to expire on January 1, 2022.  This bill seeks to extend the tax credit until January 1, 2026.

The Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism reports that these credits not only offer an incentive to preserve historic buildings, but also act as a major force in economic development. The use of tax credits encourages private sector rehabilitation of historic buildings and is one of the most successful and cost-effective community revitalization programs. These programs generate jobs and create commercial, residential, and industrial spaces within historic buildings.

House Bill No.  317, Representative Howard

What:  Authorizes the creation of a Louisiana REALTORS® special prestige license plate

Position :  For

Why :  Louisiana REALTORS® asked that this bill be filed so you can show your REALTOR® pride while also helping the Louisiana REALTORS Relief Fund.

House Bill No. 372 was reported out of in the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works on Monday, April 15th. The bill would allow a special prestige license plate to be made available for members of Louisiana REALTORS®.  All members could purchase the plate for their vehicle from the office of motor vehicles upon paying a $10 annual fee that would benefit the Louisiana REALTORS® Relief Fund and a $3.50 production fee.  However, it will likely be a few years before the plate would be available as the office of motor vehicles is undergoing a complete renovation of their motor vehicle registration system.

 

Consumer Guide Update: 10 Tips for Unpacking

By Louisiana REALTORS® • June 18, 2026
NAR’s latest consumer guide, “10 Tips for Unpacking Smartly After a Move,” was developed to help ease the burden buyers may feel when surrounded by boxes. For your clients on the cusp of a move, the guide suggests establishing a priority unpacking order, wiping down each room before unpacking, discarding boxes quickly, having garbage and donation bags at the ready, and more. Share the new guide along with the companion guide “10 Tips for Packing Smartly for a Move.” As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow up to two weeks 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: 10 Tips For Unpacking Smartly After A Move UPDATED : Multiple Listing Services Overcoming Roadblocks to a Sale or Purchase How Solar Impacts a Real Estate Transaction Navigating Interest Rate Shifts 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 home buying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Check out the next consumer guide on identifying homebuying wants vs. needs.
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Why Buying a Home Still Makes Sense: Long-Term Benefits of Homeownership

By Louisiana REALTORS® • June 15, 2026
Thinking about buying a home? Discover how homeownership can help build wealth, increase financial stability, and create lasting value.

Louisiana Residents Encouraged to Use New LDI Tools to Prepare for Hurricane Season

By Louisiana REALTORS® • June 9, 2026
From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: During a press conference today with Governor Jeff Landry, Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple announced that registration for the next round of the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP) will open at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 1, and will include 3,000 grants. The registration period for this lottery will be open for three weeks, closing at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19.  During the press conference, Gov. Landry signed HB 1187 by Rep. Paul Sawyer, which will allow Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to transfer $50 million in additional Katrina bond assessment funds to the LFHP. Combined with the $30 million in funding the program will receive through taxes and fees on insurance entities, the LFHP will receive a total of $80 million this year. “By lowering overall losses, we can reduce insurance and reinsurance costs, draw more insurers into the market, motivate existing companies to write additional policies and lower insurance premiums,” said Commissioner Temple. “That is exactly what the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program is designed to do.” The list of coastal parishes that are eligible to participate is expanding to include Acadia, Jefferson Davis and Lafayette parishes. Additionally, homeowners who live in the portions of Ascension, Calcasieu, Iberia, Livingston, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Vermilion parishes that were previously not included in the program will now be eligible to participate. A map showing the full list of eligible parishes is available on FortifyHomes.La.Gov . “Louisiana is the fastest growing state in the country for Fortified roofs, and that growth is not by accident—it is the result of strong support from Governor Landry and legislators like Chairman Talbot, Chairman Firment and Representative Sawyer, targeted program design, and a clear recognition that strengthening homes is one of the most effective ways to reduce insurance losses,” said Commissioner Temple. “At the end of the day, this program is about more than just roofs. It is about protecting families, it is about strengthening communities, and it is about putting Louisiana in a stronger position—both physically and economically—to face the challenges ahead.” To participate in the lottery, homeowners must register during the June registration period. Homeowners who registered for a previous round but were not selected must register again to participate. People who register on the last day of the registration period have the same chance of being selected as those who register on the first day, so there is no need to rush to register as soon as the period opens. When registering, homeowners will need to upload their homestead exemption, insurance policy declarations page that includes wind coverage, and flood insurance declarations page if the residence is in a flood zone. Homeowners who need assistance obtaining a copy of their homestead exemption should contact their parish tax assessor. Homeowners can contact their homeowners and flood insurance companies or agents for a copy of their policy declarations page. Homeowners are required to create a profile in the LFHP system before registering for the lottery and may do so by visiting the LFHP website and clicking the Login button. Homeowners who previously created a profile may use the same one for this and future rounds. Once the lottery registration period closes, the LFHP will randomly select 3,000 participants and send email notifications to registrants about whether they were selected to participate. These selection notices will be sent via email beginning on Monday, June 22. There are several program requirements that homeowners should be aware of before registering. Those interested in the program are encouraged to review eligibility information and frequently asked questions at FortifyHomes.La.Gov to determine whether their home meets the requirements for the program. If selected to participate in the grant program, homeowners will be financially responsible for having the home evaluated by a FORTIFIED-certified Evaluator as well as costs for the roof upgrade including permits, inspections and construction costs beyond the amount of the grant The LFHP provides grants of up to $10,000 for homeowners to upgrade their roofs to standards set by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. The program helps Louisiana homeowners strengthen their roofs to better withstand hurricane-force winds.
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