Summary of Legislative Eventsof Note

This bill has one final step to make prior to going to Governor Edward’s desk for action. Louisiana REALTORS® is unsure if Governor Edwards will sign or veto the bill given that many legislators in his party oppose the bill, but we will keep members updated.

As for the subject matter of the bill, Louisiana allows municipalities and parishes to pass inclusionary zoning ordinances to promote the development of affordable housing. Inclusionary zoning requires housing developers to sell or rent a proportion of their units below market rate, regardless of the economics of a project or whether the developer receives just compensation. Senate Bill 462 would instead allow municipalities and parishes to offer VOLUNTARY economic incentive policies to promote the development of affordable housing.

House Bill No. 372 would require administrative rules sought to be promulgated by boards and commissions, including but not limited to the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC), to undergo additional review to ensure that occupational licensing boards and their board members will avoid liability under federal antitrust laws. 

If passed this legislation would ensure that if any of our members accept positions as LREC commissioners that they will not be personally liable for actions taken by LREC.

At the request of Representative Connick, Louisiana REALTORS® was at the table at every meeting where associations representatives negotiated amendments for the bill. We worked tirelessly with representatives of a coalition of 40+ national and state associations to ensure that these amendments were adopted in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs. Ultimately, amendments were put on the bill that put it in a posture that Louisiana REALTORS® and a majority of associations accepted. The bill now goes before the entire Senate and will be sent to the House of Representatives for concurrence in the amendments.

In the form this bill left the House of Representatives, it could have been read to require state government approval of any certifications members of private trade associations receive from private entities. This could have included certifications issued by NAR and other real estate groups.

Louisiana REALTORS® along with approximately 50 other associations officially submitted opposition to this bill when it was presented in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs understood the position of the opposition and significantly modified to bill to remove much of the opposition, including those who opposed the bill because of the certification language. The bill now goes before the entire Senate and will be sent to the House of Representatives for concurrence in the amendments.