Louisiana Bills

HB 881 modifies Louisiana homeowners insurance rules to require insurers to include general contractor overhead and profit in claims payments when a contractor's services are reasonably foreseeable. This applies to both replacement cost and actual cash value policies for fire and extended coverage claims. The bill also clarifies that insurance commissioners may verify statistical data in rate filings and cannot approve rates before required notification periods expire. These changes directly affect homeowners filing claims and insurers handling those claims in Louisiana.

HB 589 (Energy/Pipelines: Requires a five hundred foot setback for carbon dioxide pipelines) would require carbon dioxide transport pipelines in Louisiana to maintain a minimum 500-foot buffer zone from inhabited dwellings, schools, and healthcare facilities. This policy directly affects pipeline companies planning to construct CO2 transportation infrastructure within the state. The bill amends Louisiana law to add this setback requirement as a specific siting condition for CO2 pipelines, mirroring existing rules for Class VI injection wells. The provision aims to establish a standardized safety distance between pipeline infrastructure and sensitive locations.

HB 877 prohibits carbon capture facilities in Louisiana from sharing pipelines for transporting carbon dioxide to storage sites. The bill directly affects carbon capture project operators and pipeline owners by requiring separate pipelines for each facility's CO2 transport. Its key provision, added to state law (R.S. 30:1116), explicitly bans owners of separate storage facilities from using the same pipeline for CO2 delivery. This creates a new regulatory requirement for pipeline infrastructure planning and construction. The bill aims to prevent shared pipeline usage, though it does not address pipeline safety standards or costs.

HB 438 creates a new criminal offense in Louisiana for operating a commercial motor vehicle (like trucks or buses) without meeting federal safety qualification requirements. It directly affects commercial drivers who fail to satisfy these standards, which are defined by federal regulations (49 CFR Part 391). The bill imposes fines of up to $500 for a first offense and up to $1,000 for repeat violations. This law standardizes penalties for unsafe commercial driving practices under state criminal law.

HB 556 updates Louisiana's campaign finance reporting rules to clarify penalties and notifications for late or inaccurate filings. It requires the Board of Ethics and Supervisory Committee to notify filers (candidates, committee treasurers, or others) within four days of a missed deadline, giving them seven business days to correct errors before penalties apply. The bill prohibits conditional fee waivers (e.g., "waiver if you fix it later") and mandates that all waivers be permanent and unconditional. These changes directly affect individuals and committees responsible for submitting campaign finance reports, ensuring clearer accountability for timely and accurate disclosures.

HB 467 requires all new residential roofs built in Louisiana parishes within the coastal zone boundary (as defined by law) to meet the latest fortified roof standards set by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, starting January 1, 2027. This applies directly to homeowners and builders constructing new single-family homes in coastal areas. The bill mandates that these roofs undergo inspection to earn a certified fortified roof designation from the Institute. It aims to enhance structural resilience against storm damage in vulnerable coastal communities. The requirement is limited to new construction, not existing homes.

HB 526 sets a $500,000 cap on general damages (such as pain and suffering) in personal injury lawsuits in Louisiana, unless specific exceptions apply. If a judge or jury finds a claimant has a severe mental injury impairing work or daily life, the cap increases to $1 million. The cap does not apply for cases involving permanent physical injuries (like loss of a limb, organ damage, or inability to care for oneself) or when the defendant acted intentionally or maliciously. These changes directly affect plaintiffs in civil lawsuits and defendants facing liability claims. The bill aims to limit financial exposure in certain injury cases while preserving exceptions for severe harm.

HB 524 proposes a constitutional amendment to Louisiana's Article III, Section 13. It would require that local bills (affecting specific parishes or municipalities) be introduced only by a state legislator whose district includes the affected locality, with an exception for districts with vacancies. The amendment also mandates publication of notice in the affected locality's official journal for 2 days (3 days for crime prevention special districts) at least 30 days before bill introduction, including specific details about fees for security-focused districts. This change aims to ensure direct legislative representation for local issues and increase public notice before such bills are filed.

HB 510 prohibits the importation of captured carbon dioxide (CO2) into Louisiana for underground storage. It requires that any CO2 stored in Louisiana must have been generated within the state itself. The bill mandates that Louisiana's Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources must verify this local generation requirement before approving storage permits or eminent domain actions for CO2 reservoirs. This directly affects companies or entities seeking to store CO2 in Louisiana, blocking the use of imported CO2 for sequestration projects.

HB 442 reorganizes the election structure for family court judges in East Baton Rouge Parish by dividing the parish into three distinct election sections. Each section will elect judges: one judge from Section One, one from Section Two, and two from Section Three, based on specific precinct assignments detailed in the bill. The bill uses updated precinct boundaries from the 2020 Census-based map (modified through 2026), directly affecting voters in those precincts and determining how family court judges are elected locally.

HB 693 would require Louisiana's Department of Transportation to place rectangular highway signs displaying each legislator's name and district number along state highways and roads. The bill allows the department to either manage the signs directly or contract with third parties for placement and maintenance, with fees collected from such contracts deposited into the DOT's budget as self-generated revenue. Signs must follow specific design rules established by the department, and all fees must be tracked and reported quarterly to the state. This legislation affects drivers encountering these signs and modifies how highway signage is funded and administered, without changing traffic laws or road construction standards.

SB 373 requires Louisiana's Department of Public Safety and Corrections to pay parish sheriffs or jail operators a daily fee (currently $25.39) for housing state inmates in local jails when state facilities are unavailable or court orders delay transfer. It also establishes a new Transitional Workforce and Vocational Training Pilot Program within the department, providing job training in high-demand trades to inmates held in parish custody. The bill sets criteria for future funding increases tied to jail safety, sanitation, facility upgrades, and reporting requirements. This directly affects parish sheriffs (who receive payments) and inmates held in local jails instead of state facilities.