Session Scoop: 2024 Bill Tracking Report

Louisiana REALTORS® • March 15, 2024

Bill Tracking Report as of 3/14/2024

Your Louisiana REALTORS® Bill Review Team met Wednesday, March 13th to determine the positions LR is taking on over 200 pieces of legislation.


Two complete versions of the Louisiana REALTORS® Bill Report are available below. One report has the bills in numerical order, and the other report sorts bills by Louisiana REALTORS® positions on the bills. Updated bill reports and a summary of the week’s events will be posted on the Louisiana REALTORS® website each Friday.


The first week of the 2024 Legislative Session was generally slow, but things will pick up next week when bills aimed to improve the property insurance market will be heard in committees.


These bills are of particular interest to members because in the 2023 Louisiana REALTORS® Getting to Home study, you made it clear your number one Louisiana REALTORS® advocacy goal is improving our property insurance market.   


Therefore, Louisiana REALTORS® is supporting several bills that have been filed to provide Louisiana Department of Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple the necessary tools to bring insurers back to Louisiana, and to retain all the tools necessary to protect consumers from 'bad actors'.


These bills would bring bold changes to Louisiana’s insurance market and end the days of our state being the outlier in many areas. Change is never easy, but Louisiana cannot expect different results if it is to maintain the status quo. 


A few of these measures include the following:


   1. Approval of Rates: HB 613 by Representative Gabe Firment and SB 295 by Heather Cloud

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 better manage their business and have more flexibility to price their products.


   2. Good Faith Claims Process: HB 678 by Representative Gabe Firment and SB 323 by Senator Kirk Talbot

These bills 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. SB 232 would retain an insured's ability to file a bad faith claim and receive the same court-awarded damages and attorney fees they could obtain under current law. HB 678 would adopt Texas's prompt payment of claims framework, including its provisions on cure periods, penalties/interest and attorney’s fees.


    3. 3-year Rule Modifications: SB 370 by Senator Adam Bass and HB 611 by Representative Gabe Firment

With a few exceptions, Louisiana’s 3-year rule essentially marries an insurer to an insured if the property insurance 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.


If adopted, both bills would allow insurers to slowly remove policies held under this law and provide that any policies written after August 1st would not be subject to the 3-year rule. There is talk of amendments being proposed to the bills to limit the number of existing policies that could be reduced in any given parish and any given zip code.



Bill Tracking Report by Numerical Order (as of 3/14/24) Bill Tracking Report by Position (as of 3/14/24)
By Louisiana REALTORS® • October 7, 2026
A major change to residential appraisal reporting is approaching, but a recently announced temporary policy exception is creating some confusion about what happens on November 2. Here is what REALTORS® need to know. Beginning November 2, 2026, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will require the new Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) 3.6 for new appraisal reports initially submitted to the Uniform Collateral Data Portal (UCDP), unless the lender has received a temporary policy exception. The November 2 implementation date has not been postponed. What is the UAD 3.6 Appraisal Report? UAD 3.6 replaces the familiar legacy appraisal forms (used for the last 25 years) with a new, more data-driven appraisal report that collects much more detailed property information. For REALTORS® and consumers, the transition could mean a more detailed property inspection, additional questions about the property and transaction, and potentially longer appraisal and review times as appraisers, lenders, appraisal management companies, and other industry participants adjust to the new system. What changed? Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac recently announced a temporary policy exception for eligible lenders that need additional time to complete their transition to UAD 3.6. Lenders receiving the exception may continue submitting appraisals using the current legacy UAD 2.6 format through May 19, 2027 . Beginning May 20, 2027 , new appraisal submissions to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac must use UAD 3.6. What does this mean for REALTORS®? For several months, REALTORS® may encounter both the current appraisal format and the new UAD 3.6 appraisal report. The appraisal format is determined by the lender's assignment requirements. REALTORS® and consumers do not need to determine which format should be used. It is also important to understand that an appraiser completing a legacy-format appraisal during this period should not automatically be assumed to be unprepared for UAD 3.6. An appraiser who is fully UAD 3.6 ready may still be instructed by a lender to complete an assignment using the legacy format. How can REALTORS® help? Good communication and accurate property information will become even more important. REALTORS® can help the appraisal process by providing accurate and specific information concerning: Recent renovations and improvements Property features and amenities Sales concessions and financing terms Known property conditions or unique characteristics Relevant information about the transaction Buyers should also be encouraged to discuss appraisal requirements and anticipated timelines with their lender early in the transaction. What about FHA, VA and USDA? The November 2 requirement discussed above applies to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac conventional lending. FHA, VA and USDA have their own appraisal policies and implementation schedules. Their transition to UAD 3.6 should not be assumed to follow the same November 2 timeline unless announced by the respective agency. The Bottom Line November 2 remains an important date for UAD 3.6. The temporary exception does not cancel or postpone the transition. Instead, it allows eligible lenders additional time to complete their transition. As a result, REALTORS® should expect a period when both legacy and UAD 3.6 appraisal reports are being used. Louisiana REALTORS® will continue monitoring the transition and providing members with updates as additional guidance becomes available. Louisiana REALTORS® is also planning a follow-up webinar to discuss the latest UAD 3.6 developments, what REALTORS® are seeing in transactions, and what these changes mean for agents and their clients.
By Louisiana REALTORS® • October 7, 2026
Louisiana REALTORS® wraps up the 2026 Fall Governance Meetings in New Orleans! Louisiana REALTORS® gathered in New Orleans September 29–October 1 at Harrah's Hotel Tower at Caesars for the 2026 Fall Governance Meetings, three days filled with professional development, governance, networking and celebration. The conference opened with the conclusion of the 2026 LR Leadership Program. Participants graduated from the yearlong program at a closing retreat, followed by a luncheon with LR officers. The 2026 graduates include: Meghan Adam, Scott Domingue, Nichole Donald, Herbert Dubuisson, Clint Galliano, Beth Graham, Ivan Jennings, Catice Johnson, Dana MacCord, Candy Modeen, Craig Morris, Ron Patron, Amber Reinking, David Rollins and Jennifer Tagliarino. That evening, the Welcome Reception at Stadium Club at Mannings celebrated the graduating class and brought back alumni from previous years for the LR Leadership Reunion. Tuesday's education kicked off with a live "Residential Real Estate Economic Update" from NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun, giving attendees an expert look at the trends shaping the market. Members who joined early for the Commercial Symposium on September 28 got a head start on the week. Wednesday brought a full day of learning and connection. After a breakfast buffet, Robert Siciliano led "CSI Protection: Cyber Social Identity and Personal Protection," equipping attendees to defend themselves and their clients against today's cyber threats. The Town Hall Luncheon followed, along with the Local AE Meeting and the YPN Open Meeting with Panel Discussion. Leigh Brown's "Fearless Agents" session gave REALTORS® the confidence and strategies to stand out in a shifting market. Wednesday night, members celebrated the 2027 Louisiana REALTORS® Officer Installation with a ceremony followed by The Sidewalk Step Second Line through the streets of New Orleans to Vue Orleans, where the evening continued with a reception. Thursday opened with Leigh Brown's "Next is Now," a session on rebuilding trust through availability, action and discipline. Regional caucuses followed, and the Board of Directors Meeting brought the governance portion of the event to a close. At the meeting, Cindy Dyer, [Northwest]; Mark Ouchley, [Northeast]; Lacy Baaeth, [Greater Baton Rouge]; Bill Boyd, [Bayou]; Marsha McGraw-Barbera, [Greater Central] and Candy Modeen, [Northshore] were elected as 2027 At-Large Directors. They will join the 2027 Board in helping guide the association and represent REALTORS® from across the state, serving a two year term. Attendees could also earn up to six hours of CE throughout the conference. Louisiana REALTORS® looks forward to hosting REALTORS® from around the state at the Winter Conference at the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles . We would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support in helping make this conference happen! Our Vue From the Top Sponsor: New Orleans Metropolitan Association of REALTORS® (NOMAR); Grand Marshall Sponsors: American Home Shield, Arena Collective, First American Exchange Company and Guard Home Warranty; Second Line Sponsor: Zillow; Brass Band Backer Sponsor: REALTOR® Association of Acadiana and Roy Appraisals, Inc.; and Sidewalk Stepper Sponsors: Bayou Board of REALTORS®, Bob Brooks School, Compass Inspection Services, LLC, Expert Insurance Services (EIS), LLC, Goosehead Insurance Brandon Katz, Greater Central REALTORS® Association, Hartwig Moss Insurance Agency and Women’s Council of REALTORS® New Orleans Metropolitan Area.
How Working With a REALTOR® Can Help You Get More Value From Your Home Purchase
By Danielle Edmonson • October 7, 2026
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