[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6266934,"mediaKeyId","3084353-92a9d08af05986fdd8c073614ac02053","parentId",3084353,"title","Panel approves bill clarifying appraiser continuing-education and repealing outdated deadlines","audioSeconds",122,"startMs",8443000,"endMs",8565000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3084353-92a9d08af05986fdd8c073614ac02053&start=8443&end=8565","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3084353-92a9d08af05986fdd8c073614ac02053/thumbnail_8443000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6266934/Louisiana/Panel-approves-bill-clarifying-appraiser-continuing-education-and-repealing-outdated-deadlines","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6266934-3d57c44e936e54350e5b50e012ab2905/orig.mp4?Expires=1771133217&Signature=YNzlIb5xKI~FvapL72rLmrE2IzgoHFz1-S-kxjKK102gMr5yaIDoZ44J4Ox3KNwpAJ~BZUXpCIBvpnPBMtLqT3t8jVTERaiAhJjSIN8reR6s9Q-sltgpCCB~o0QFRg16onNaT0jqd94ZzzYJcbOX8AaY1mB9D-C5Bg9ZdvmxCUCQVmXjUTopHTlVutjOMiccVPHz-4HAAXCjKs1JbPjU3jINAzRAvs-HnN0G9ZQKPYhDGrZufc17F~iNI8YCqjcCbFlXEi3~PZXcsjY9t7ueyOdaoriftYXHyNHeZlThc0ec1-5q6-6Ro9bMgaaP-382H5kAylhApZxIaL7~UEMFtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-04-22T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Boyd presented House Bill 288, which the House Committee on Commerce moved favorably on April 22. The bill clarifies that real estate appraisers must complete continuing education consistent with national standards, removes an administrative 90-day waiting period for failed examinations and repeals a sunset on certain fees.

Summer Muir, executive director of the Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers Board, told the committee the board already follows the national standards in practice; the bill would remove statutory barriers and simplify administration. Representative Boyd said the change is intended to reduce barriers and align state requirements with industry practice.

Representative Cox moved the bill favorably; the committee carried the motion without a recorded roll-call tally in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commerce Apr 22, 9:30 AM, HCR-1 -P1","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 288 would align appraiser continuing education with national standards and repeal an obsolete 90-day waiting rule for re-testing; the committee reported the bill favorably.","taxTitle","Commerce, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Louisiana","taxId",20971,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6266938,"Committee backs cosmetology board fee increases after board warns of deficits; amendment corrects permit fee wording",798,7200000,7998000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3084353-92a9d08af05986fdd8c073614ac02053&start=7200&end=7998","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3084353-92a9d08af05986fdd8c073614ac02053/thumbnail_7200000.jpg","/articles/6266938/Louisiana/Committee-backs-cosmetology-board-fee-increases-after-board-warns-of-deficits-amendment-corrects-permit-fee-wording","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6266938-82abb9f1b9ab6a6bbca4f0c46f1a92dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771133217&Signature=WxiQLlxRK2yVpMbr~epT7HeFefhPRGZVfJgbYm7Y5nO~h2-Oi1u-7b-uxviCmpPW9HPoSnEj79MJVGAFfmxCjCAG54Yf0n7lNSc5SjEZG4kcNflXHLXe8KD8STAPI4~ACbyoKSJEzk41cml-iapxfWMy0FNsIR4UZjqsz6ZEVvG4OP5zzQn3f3RlH23-To~MACGZyK7SvhNy53s4bbZyieJuQXrRXPJjmJ6siLZgj-rzqO52o0QI8AcN7~G8ZaZfaG3WNVkASWobEEHGVl5mF-Ccs8Up-DF~XbOQZGI28sGxPNROj3F1mEgCgQIYVLFRE7JST3JSkmDGAW~TipzK6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Committee on Commerce on April 22 voted to report House Bill 326 by Representative Butler favorably as amended. The bill would raise many license and permit fees administered by the State Board of Cosmetology; the board said it has not increased fees in decades and is operating near a deficit.

Representative Butler, a cosmetologist, said the board has not raised fees in about 41 years and the testing facility and IT systems are in poor condition: she said ceilings and floors in the testing facility needed repair and that antiquated software prevents cost-saving digital workflows. The board’s director, Steve Young, said about 40,000 licensees currently pay the $25 annual fee and that the board generates its own operating revenue and receives no state general-fund support. Young told the committee the proposed increase would provide several years of operating stability instead of repeated small increases.

An amendment (13-66) corrected a drafting omission and combined several permit categories (booth rental permit, special permit and temporary permit) so the $50 increase applies consistently. Representative Knox, Representative Green and others supported the increase while members acknowledged it is a meaningful step up for practitioners. Reverend Freddie Phillips Jr., who testified in opposition, urged the committee to examine alternative models used in other states to broaden participation and yield more revenue without raising barriers.

Committee members noted national and state changes in professional requirements and that the barber board fees already are higher; several members said an updated fee structure was reasonable given inflation and new statutory mandates the board must satisfy. Representative Davis moved the bill favorably as amended and the committee approved it by voice; no roll-call tally appears in the transcript.","The committee approved House Bill 326, which raises multiple cosmetology license and permit fees (from $25 to $50 for many categories) after the State Board of Cosmetology told members the board has run deficits and cannot modernize testing facilities without higher revenue. An amendment fixed a typo and combined permit lines.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6266944,"Committee approves bill to set FEMA-based minimums for manufactured, modular homes; allows local freeboard increases",429,6452000,6881000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3084353-92a9d08af05986fdd8c073614ac02053&start=6452&end=6881","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3084353-92a9d08af05986fdd8c073614ac02053/thumbnail_6452000.jpg","/articles/6266944/Louisiana/Committee-approves-bill-to-set-FEMA-based-minimums-for-manufactured-modular-homes-allows-local-freeboard-increases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6266944-f7bdc6f1a7d7171b11457c79553364a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771133217&Signature=ZVlVRUW47BHwmckjZm7RctGE7R88BZKqNJ21zR9H30RXm9IWNwlg1-KK5v9rCkBbDDAOEEOUVEbR-VPUmuzTeY43yApcLelvwAbzNqssvGLws9oyMzAcmItXRiB0oL2ZaedTV-tG6RHRDsJ0mn~CBHTAloN6IMHLmNF6wuFSUaJjMpxt2E7ybqo6-2XRhmo54sdZPbk0XkUnnXDS8OGsYWqZVD2YqZ2eM19Hn1qMjwFT6UREht7LrLPruv27YLB4R1jHsMRI~0Jb-TS0hOnznCHGdAa1sA6h8AjygzSJm7kqsXXZqEdQjqEeR3f7OQUmiYIdv10O6JBX7RbnGJpvUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Committee on Commerce on April 22 adopted amendments and reported House Bill 318 by Representative Gadbury favorably. The bill would require manufactured and modular homes installed in flood-prone areas to meet minimum standards consistent with FEMA and National Flood Insurance Program guidance and directs what installation information must appear on permits.

Gadbury said she revised the bill after stakeholder meetings and offered an amendment set (13-69) that clarified the measure would not preempt state or local jurisdictions from imposing higher elevation or freeboard requirements than the federal minimums. The amendment also requires any additional freeboard requirements to be applied uniformly based on the base flood elevation in the jurisdiction’s currently adopted Flood Insurance Rate Map.

Committee members from coastal and riverine parishes said the amendment addressed earlier concerns. Representative Hilferty and others confirmed the change preserved community-rating-system protections and would not erode local authority to adopt higher standards. The amendment passed by voice vote with no roll-call recorded in the transcript.

The committee then moved the bill favorably as amended. Several organizations filed information cards in support, including the Louisiana Manufactured Housing Association, the National Hazard Mitigation Association, and local police jury association representatives.

Votes at a glance: Amendment set 1369 adopted; committee reported House Bill 318 favorably as amended.","House Bill 318 requires installations of manufactured or modular homes in flood-prone areas to meet minimum standards consistent with FEMA/National Flood Insurance Program guidance while explicitly allowing state or local jurisdictions to adopt more stringent freeboard or elevation requirements.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6266948,"House committee approves Cruz bill to list utilities that provide aggregate energy reporting",3260,3176000,6436000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3084353-92a9d08af05986fdd8c073614ac02053&start=3176&end=6436","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3084353-92a9d08af05986fdd8c073614ac02053/thumbnail_3176000.jpg","/articles/6266948/Louisiana/House-committee-approves-Cruz-bill-to-list-utilities-that-provide-aggregate-energy-reporting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6266948-538fe02a66d3180413b406946e0a6275/orig.mp4?Expires=1771133217&Signature=eQKR3169gquCtXo6zfMGNYwcruISgFQdqXgDCFmVNssno7s4jy4m65CuDtYiYlorBYVnYlPV5vnMlMVQSWUFE09X4CFNHUBkHpF6iO9z1TQe8035ruqPJtjAneqMRaqLR6eonnQZg5XVPROCEOnp2O7kB83RTbOHv84ZKpEnLbLt4TEjQt-8Ch6FdB2DMAVvJakeSdidb~2cEJ7BpoNVSZFsrkN6XSdtRWuxNtYjNGmDY7WK6otsuWlN9~Uw0z~pfMDtxN1~PD~j2v6oqDV5csbtNLBo5CsWEQLa-zF1AfnZGnQrZeixpXfBBmM60ChPuLD~1mhlc8HTqweNeo97UA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Committee on Commerce on April 22 moved House Bill 254 by Representative Cruz favorably after adopting a technical amendment. The bill would require energy utilities or their regulators to report whether they provide aggregate (property- or project-level) energy-consumption reporting — the consolidated meter data often required by federal programs that incentivize energy-efficient housing.

Cruz told the committee developers pursuing incentives such as HUD’s Green Mortgage Insurance Premium reduction or Energy Star tax credits need aggregate reporting for entire multifamily projects; collecting individual tenant bills is time-consuming and raises administrative hurdles. He described developers’ interest in locating projects where utilities already provide aggregated meter data, and said the bill’s goal is transparency: publish whether each utility “does or does not provide this aggregate reporting.”

Public Service Commission executive secretary Brandon Frey and Commissioner Davante Lewis testified they had discussed similar issues with Cruz and are already examining how best to present the data. Frey said the PSC would likely create a web link listing utilities and whether they provide aggregate reporting; Commissioner Lewis added that federal programs under the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law increase demand for this information. Lewis said national utility regulators are already studying best practices and that several states have begun rulemaking on customer energy data.

Members clarified the bill does not require utilities to perform new aggregation; it only asks the PSC to publish whether a utility offers the service. Representative Newell asked whether the measure would impose new costs on ratepayers; Cruz and PSC staff said it would not mandate new services or charges — it only requires disclosure of existing capabilities. Representative Knox asked whether underground-utility mapping is part of the PSC’s data; commissioners said mapping is being pursued separately at the governor’s level and that some high-level transmission data reside with the PSC.

Committee members voted to report the bill favorably with amendments.

Votes at a glance: Amendment set 1405 adopted (technical). Motion to report House Bill 254 favorable carried by voice; no roll-call tally recorded in transcript.","House Bill 254 would require the Public Service Commission to publish which energy utilities offer aggregate (project-level) consumption reporting to help developers seeking federal energy or tax incentives. Commissioners said the PSC is already working on related data efforts.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6266951,"Committee hears hours of testimony on bill to limit buyer-agency agreements; author voluntarily defers bill",4930,194000,5124000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3084353-92a9d08af05986fdd8c073614ac02053&start=194&end=5124","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3084353-92a9d08af05986fdd8c073614ac02053/thumbnail_194000.jpg","/articles/6266951/Louisiana/Committee-hears-hours-of-testimony-on-bill-to-limit-buyer-agency-agreements-author-voluntarily-defers-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6266951-d351f2e6725057717f3c0de9ee2c3536/orig.mp4?Expires=1771133217&Signature=b4zlpZJyZCOKyrsad52th3XTl1vSAcLO0iIVprCXrmW1-XX9oMsB2QLbp1NAzv2CvUEV-0UHkJtK~5l-R83LwLLBhfpQTInkOpBKgHAM-gMNW9p74LJBL~SS7aT0NV3IoYV8tlhgDFV~10r5dtdCEYNjI9p1hASFe0SXFLuhfOYgN4vw5av6f9HKyMDsBKE6uphV4~OfNsUI~k7DUb9zZETfNOCA8lb5fUMYy3wzd9YKpYXm4pQBFDj8TXGLpKew8Eb~eOFKOigjoM3nDkVVu2LoGimTrOpb~tF~tgukxW4Wh~V-OCnpN3590ZtT27fB0PxtSk5hfNcAxawMVoDnIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Committee on Commerce members heard extensive testimony April 22 on House Bill 139, a proposal from Representative Shane Mack to limit when buyer-broker agreements are required and to require clearer information about buyer-agent compensation in real estate advertising.

Mack told the committee his bill would make clear “you don't have to sign a buyer's agreement before you view a piece of property,” and said the proposal is meant to increase transparency in listings and advertising. He said some buyer agreements can run multiple pages and include commission details that prospective purchasers do not read before a showing.

The bill drew sustained questioning from committee members about legal risk and the fallout from a recent national real estate class-action settlement. Representative Hebert, a broker with more than 20 years in the industry, urged caution, saying the settlement and related Department of Justice scrutiny create uncertainty and that the Legislature should “watch and see how this plays out in the next year.” Representative Newell, an attorney, pressed Mack for precise definitions in the bill for terms such as “accurate representation” and “residential property.” Mack replied that the bill’s language is drawn from Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC) rules and that the LREC requires advertising be “an accurate representation of the property advertised.”

Multiple brokers and agents testified during the public-comment period. Carla DeYoung, a broker and state-certified appraiser, said the buyer-agreement form being discussed had been described to the public as a law when it is a practice tied to association rules; she testified that in practice MLS membership rules and lead generation have changed how consumers contact listing agents. Tammy J. Williams said she and other buyers have signed agreements under pressure and that some consumers later felt “coerced into doing that.” Carlos Alvarez, a broker who represents many agents, said the current practice “holds buyers hostage” and called for clearer, public disclosure of buyer-agent compensation so buyers can compare listings fairly.

Committee members also debated market realities: Representative Boyd and others explained that many buyers use listing agents or open houses and are not always represented by a buyer’s agent; several industry members countered that after the national settlement sellers may no longer routinely pay buyer-agent commissions, prompting buyer-agents to require signed compensation agreements to be paid.

The committee adopted a single technical amendment (Amendment set 1394) that changed some language (for example, replacing “broker” with “agent” in one line and clarifying the timing “when the offer is made to purchase”). After receiving multiple public witnesses and deliberating, Mack said he would “voluntarily defer this and bring it back maybe at a later date.” A prior motion to involuntarily defer was withdrawn; the final motion to defer the bill carried without objection.

The record shows broad disagreement about how state law should respond to national litigation and association rule changes. Several committee members urged more study and a limited delay to allow for coordinated language and review of possible federal litigation exposure. Mack said he appreciated the testimony and would continue working with stakeholders.

Votes at a glance: The committee adopted Amendment set 1394 (offered by Representative Green) and later accepted the author’s motion to voluntarily defer House Bill 139; no roll-call tallies were recorded on the floor for the amendment or the deferral in the transcript.","Representative Shane Mack’s House Bill 139 drew extensive committee and public testimony about buyer-broker agreements, advertising disclosures and recent national litigation. The committee adopted one technical amendment and the author voluntarily deferred the bill for further work after testimony from brokers, agents and consumers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Panel approves bill clarifying appraiser continuing-education and repealing outdated deadlines

Committee backs cosmetology board fee increases after board warns of deficits; amendment corrects permit fee wording

Committee approves bill to set FEMA-based minimums for manufactured, modular homes; allows local freeboard increases

House committee approves Cruz bill to list utilities that provide aggregate energy reporting

Committee hears hours of testimony on bill to limit buyer-agency agreements; author voluntarily defers bill