Session Scoop: March 29, 2024

Louisiana REALTORS® • April 1, 2024

Bill Tracking Report as of 3/29/2024

Week 3 Report


Real Estate Licensing

HB 155, by Representative Thomas

Status: Pending Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs

Position: Support

 

This bill would clarify that a salesperson or broker who fails to renew their license by January 1st does not have to complete the pre-licensing or post-licensing education hours required of a first-time applicant to return their license status to active status. It also would clarify that a broker who fails to renew their license by January 1st could renew their broker license without having to spend five years requalifying as a salesperson.


Property Rights

SB 308, by Senator Heather Cloud

Status: Pending Senate Judiciary A Committee

Position: Support


SB 308 would address issues with unauthorized squatters who occupy private property. The bill aims to quickly restore possession of such property to the lawful owner. The bill would allow a property owner to institute an executory proceeding to remove a squatter or trespasser from private property by submitting an authentic act evidencing ownership or title to the property. 


Property Management

HB 407, by Representative Stagni

Status: Notice given subject to call - House final passage

Position: Support


House Bill Number 407 by Representative Joe Stagni would create “The Louisiana Support and Service Animal Integrity Act”. If passed, it would prohibit healthcare providers from producing documentation relating to an individual's need for a support animal unless they satisfy certain requirements. It would also prohibit the misrepresentations of service dogs and require written notices for individuals and businesses that sell support animals. Additionally, it would limit liability for owners and lessors for damages caused by a service dog or support animal.


Property Insurance Bills

The momentum continues to grow in the Louisiana Legislature’s push to move forward bills that would make Louisiana's insurance laws more like those in other coastal states. The goal of these bills is to attract more property insurers to Louisiana. While the bills are not guaranteed to accomplish this goal, we know the status quo is unsustainable.


HB 428, by Representative Delisha Boyd

Status: Pending House Insurance Committee

Position: Support


This bill would allow a Louisiana Citizens’ policyholder to request to limit or exclude coverage of personal or movable property on their policy. It further would require Citizens to calculate an appropriate reduction in the premium and return the reduction to the policyholder if either of these options was exercised. 


SB 295 by Senator Heather Cloud and HB 613 by Representative Gabe Firment

Status: Pending House Referral/Pending Senate Introduction

Position: Support


SB 295 passed the Senate and is now off to be heard in the House and HB 613 passed the House and is now off to be heard in the Senate.


These bills would change Louisiana from requiring "prior approval" of proposed insurance rates to a "file & use" system of approving insurance rates, thereby allowing insurers to begin using an actuarily sound market rate subject to receiving the approval of the Commissioner of Insurance within 30 days. This would allow insurers to manage their business better and have more flexibility to price their products.


SB 323 by Senator Kirk Talbot

Status: Pending House Referral

Position: Support


SB 323 passed the Senate and is now off to be heard in the House.


This bill would establish and clarify the rights, duties, and timelines imposed on both the policyholder and insurer to ensure swift resolution of an insured’s claims, including offering insurance companies cure periods to make things right. It would retain the insured's ability to file a bad faith claim and receive damages. The law must allow policyholders to force the insurance company to pay what they owe after a storm, without needing to hire an attorney. 

When an insurance company is intentionally underpaying, delaying payment, or otherwise hurting policyholders, they should be heavily penalized, but the claims process must be clear and fair for both the policyholder and the insurer.


SB 370 by Senator Adam Bass and HB 611 by Representative Gabe Firment

Status: Pending House Referral/Pending Senate Introduction

Position: Support


SB 370 passed the Senate and is now off to be heard in the House and HB 611 passed the House and is now off to be heard in the Senate.

With a few exceptions, Louisiana’s 3-year rule essentially prohibits an insurer from canceling or non-renewing a property insurance policy if it is in place for three years. Louisiana is the only place on the planet with this type of law giving us a notorious reputation in the insurance industry worldwide.


These bills would sunset this rule so that it no longer applies to new policies going forward. 

It would also allow insurance companies to non-renew up to 5% of their policies currently protected by the law, each year. This would minimize the impact on the overall market, thereby allowing the relatively few policyholders who are nonrenewed time to find coverage with another insurance company.


Amendments were added to HB 611 that do the following:

1. Prohibit an insurer from charging a homeowners' policy deductible that exceeds 5% of a dwelling's replacement cost value, unless the insured requests otherwise.

2. Limit non-renewals to no more than 5% of the insurer's policies in any one parish.


Bill Tracking Report by Numerical Order (as of 3/29/24) Bill Tracking Report by Position (as of 3/29/24)

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.
Benefits of homeownership

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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