Remote Notarization Legislation
LOUISIANA REALTORS • March 27, 2020
(MARCH 28, 2020) REMOTE NOTARIZATION
Governor Edwards issued an executive order authorizing remote notarization
Thursday, March 26th. The order does not allow authentic acts to be completed by remote notarization. Authentic acts are used to close real estate transactions with financing so lenders can foreclose by executory process. This means that most closings are done by authentic act and cannot be completed with remote notarization even with the order. The Louisiana Notary Association questions Governor Edwards’ authority to authorize this by executive order.
Louisiana REALTORS® is in communication with the Louisiana Bankers Association, the Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s office and Governor Edwards’ office to try to get this changed if the order remains in place. At this time, please defer to your title company and lender on this subject.
FEDERAL LEGISLATION FILED TO AUTHORIZE REMOTE NOTARIZATION
On May 19, 2020, legislation was filed in the U.S. Congress to permit immediate nationwide use of Remote Online Notarizations (RONs), a type of electronic notarization where the notary and signer are in different physical locations. The bill is called the “Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic (SECURE) Notarization Act of 2020.”
If passed, the SECURE Notarization Act would authorize every notary in the United States to perform RONs, require tamper-evident technology in electronic notarizations, and require fraud prevention through use of multifactor authentication.
The Louisiana Legislature has considered this type of legislation at the state level for several years now and it has not passed. However, should the federal legislation pass as introduced it would allow your real estate transactions in Louisiana to be completed remotely thereby protecting you and your clients from the Coronavirus.
The legislation is endorsed by the American Land Title Association (ALTA), Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
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.
Learn how Louisiana real estate regulations, disclosure laws, and licensing standards help protect homebuyers and create safer, more transparent transactions.
Nominations are open now through April 24, 2026, for the Louisiana REALTORS® 2025 REALTOR® of the Year & the 2025 Lawrence R. DeMarcay, Jr. Distinguished Service Award. Both awards are aimed to showcase an individual who has volunteered their time in service to the real estate industry. Recipients of the awards will be recognized during the Spring Legislative Conference. (Registration coming soon!) Please see the below links with the selection criteria and consider submitting a nomination today. Contact Donna Teekel at (225) 224-0704 or dteekel@larealtors.org with any questions.
