First Time Home Buyer Rebate Voluntarily Deferred
LOUISIANA REALTORS • April 30, 2018
As of Monday, April 30, House Bill No. 383 was voluntarily deferred in the House Appropriations Committee at the request of Louisiana REALTORS® and the author. Due to state budgetary issues, we do not anticipate this legislation being able to complete the legislative process. Therefore, the bill will not advance any further this session.
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House Bill No. 383 would have likely passed if the measures had been adopted to balance the budget in the 2018 First Special Session. While many committee members were in favor of the bill, they were hesitant to vote in favor of a bill with a large fiscal note just after having cut other programs in the budget. "As an organization, we did not want to subject our friends to criticism for voting for a bill that we know will not advance during these uncertain budgetary times," said Norman Morris CEO.
Representative Paula Davis has agreed to file a resolution encouraging the Legislature to explore and support efforts to assist first-time home buyers in future sessions. "The 500-plus REALTORS® who converged on the Capitol last week deomonstrated the importance of assisting first-time home buyers and ensured the likelihood of successful legislation to assist these buyers in the future," said Kim Callaway - Director of Legal & Governmental Affairs. "We greatly appreciate your efforts, which will go a long way in advancing this legislation in the future," said Callaway.
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.
