SESSION PREVIEW

The long-awaited 2007 Regular Legislative Session arrives Monday at noon, and lawmakers return to the Capitol to begin consideration of 895 House Bills, eight House Concurrent Resolutions, 322 Senate Bills, three Senate Resolutions, and four Senate Concurrent Resolutions. The following is a small sample of the prefiled legislation.
HB891 would establish the "Louisiana Health Insurance Exchange," a health care insurance reform program administered through the state Department of Insurance. The Office of the La. Health Insurance Exchange would serve as a state clearinghouse to coordinate and facilitate the recognition, identification and classification of individuals, persons and insurers in the interest of establishing affordable health insurance reform. The exchange's primary responsibly would be to promote and assist individuals, businesses, state or local government, associations and other entities seeking health insurance coverage and any insurer to negotiate and transact a contract or agreement between the parties to provide affordable coverage.
Both HB852 and HB855 call for a refundable tax credit for certain Louisiana ethanol, biodiesel, and alternative renewable fuel manufacturers. HB852 additionally provides for the minimum ethanol, bio-diesel and other alternative content requirements for gasoline and diesel, cited in present law, to be repealed.
HB861 seeks to prohibit the charging of grossly-excessive rents during a declared state of emergency as the result of a natural disaster that causes significant damage to rental housing stock.
HB870 would create the Hurricane Recovery Capital Tax Credit Program to provide capital assistance for the economic and residential recovery of hurricane-affected areas. The bill provides for a credit against income and franchise taxation; certification and decertification of a Louisiana hurricane recovery capital company; definitions; the authorization of credit transferability; the authorization of rules and regulations and related matters.