HB 217 creates automatic court delays for Louisiana legislators and specific legislative staff (including clerks, secretaries, and full-time bureau employees) when their presence is required for legislative work during sessions or conventions. It allows them to file for continuances electronically up to 5 days before a court date, with a 72-hour presumption of approval unless proven improper (e.g., for harassment) or causing irreparable harm to the opposing party. The bill explicitly excludes civil prescriptive deadlines, criminal statutes of limitation, and death penalty cases from this provision. Denials require written justification, and parties may appeal directly to the Supreme Court at no cost.
HB 262 updates Louisiana's trespass law to specifically address squatters who occupy property without legal rights (like ownership or a lease). It defines "adverse possessor" as anyone remaining on property without permission and clarifies that "remaining" includes ignoring direct requests to leave (verbally, in writing, or via posted signs). The bill allows police to arrest such individuals without a warrant if they have reasonable suspicion - based on neighbor reports, signs of forced entry, or property conditions - instead of requiring higher evidence. This directly affects property owners seeking to remove unauthorized occupants and changes how law enforcement handles squatting cases.
HB 272 updates Louisiana's licensing rules for athletic trainers by revising key definitions and adding new requirements. It clarifies that athletic trainers must work under a physician's "general supervision" and specifies their roles in injury prevention, emergency care, and rehabilitation using established clinical guidelines. The bill explicitly prohibits athletic trainers from paying others to refer injured athletes, aiming to prevent financial conflicts of interest. These changes apply directly to licensed athletic trainers and the state board overseeing their licensure.
HB 222 modifies Louisiana's property tax calculation for banks by allowing them to deduct 51% of the assessed value of real estate, buildings, and fixtures owned by a subsidiary corporation (controlled by the bank) from their tax base. This change directly affects banks that own property through separate subsidiaries where the bank holds all capital stock (excluding directors' shares). The bill increases the deduction amount used to calculate banks' ad valorem tax liability, applying to tax years beginning in 2026. It does not alter the overall tax rate but adjusts how certain bank-owned property is valued for tax purposes.
HB 278 amends Louisiana law to remove residency and voter qualification requirements for two members elected from municipal fire and police departments to civil service boards. Specifically, it changes sections 33:2476(B)(1)(c) and 2536(B)(1)(c) to state these members no longer need to reside in or be qualified voters of the municipality or parish they serve, provided the local governing authority approves via resolution. The bill directly affects fire and police civil service boards in Louisiana municipalities and parishes by altering the qualification standards for these elected positions. This change streamlines board composition while requiring local government approval for the exception. The bill is currently pending referral to the Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs Committee.
HB 270 modifies tax rules for the New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority Economic Growth and Development District. It allows the district to designate properties within its area as "economic development projects" where lessees must pay annual payments in lieu of property taxes (PILOT) instead of standard taxes, capped at the equivalent tax amount. Projects must create at least 10 permanent jobs per parcel and 75 affordable housing units (priced per HUD standards) for 30 years. The city council must review and approve these PILOT agreements within 45 days before they become effective.
HB 175 updates Louisiana's property partition laws to clarify how co-owned property is divided. It establishes a new priority for private sales between existing co-owners (over public auctions) when possible, and requires courts to use detailed property inventories as the basis for division. The bill also creates clear rules for undivided ownership rights continuing until partition, adds the Louisiana Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, and repeals outdated succession partition rules. This directly affects property co-owners, heirs, and estate administrators in Louisiana by streamlining division procedures.
HB 228 legalizes and regulates the online purchase of Louisiana Lottery tickets. It defines "I lottery" as internet-based ticket purchases and requires the Lottery Corporation to implement rules for age verification (preventing sales to under-21s) and location verification (restricting purchases to Louisiana residents). The bill mandates that 25% of gross revenues from online sales must be transferred to the state treasury annually, starting after the first year of operation. This directly affects Louisiana residents purchasing tickets online, the Lottery Corporation (as the regulator), and state finances through the dedicated revenue stream.
HB 243 modifies Louisiana's LA GATOR Scholarship Program by requiring participating nonpublic schools to administer standardized assessments to scholarship students. Schools must use either state-mandated tests or approved alternatives, with exemptions for students with disabilities. The bill establishes a new accountability system that assigns letter grades to schools based on student assessment scores (using public school criteria), with schools scoring below 50 losing the ability to enroll new scholarship students the following year. This directly affects nonpublic schools participating in the LA GATOR program and their scholarship recipients.
HB 269 proposes a constitutional amendment to raise the income limit for Louisiana homeowners seeking a property tax break on their primary residence (homestead exemption). Currently, homeowners must earn under $200,000 in adjusted gross income (from the prior year's federal tax return) to qualify; the bill would increase this threshold and automatically adjust it yearly using the Consumer Price Index. If approved by voters, the change would take effect for 2027 property taxes, allowing more homeowners to qualify for the tax benefit. The amendment applies to all residential properties with homestead exemptions, including combined income for married couples filing separately.
HB 207 modifies Louisiana law governing who must be present during a death penalty execution. It adds a requirement that 5-7 additional witnesses attend, alongside the defendant’s legal representative (already mandated). The bill does not change who receives the death penalty or the execution process itself, only specifying attendance rules for observers. This procedural change directly affects execution observers, including media, family members, or officials invited to witness the process. The bill is currently pending in the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
HB 190 repeals Section 2 of Act No. 384 (2024), which required the State Civil Service Commission and New Orleans' Civil Service Commission to create a plan transferring employees of the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board to state civil service. The bill removes this specific requirement for employee classification transfers. It directly affects the operational process for managing employees of the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board, eliminating an existing procedural step. The bill does not change employee classification rules or create new requirements, only repealing the prior transfer plan mandate.
