Gov. Bobby Jindal signed 19 bills from the ongoing regular session into law today. Locally, House Bill 556 by Rep. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge, got the nod. It increases a special fee for anyone convicted of a felony, misdemeanor or local ordinance from $2 to $3 to underwrite costs for an integrated juvenile justice information system. Rep. Bodi White, R-Denham Springs, saw his House Bill 407 approved, too, which creates a building fund for the construction of a new courthouse for the 21st Judicial District Court in Livingston Parish. Another three bills endorsed by Jindal also altered court fees and related operation, while four more enact land transfers from the state to local governments. So far, Jindal has signed 21 bills into law this session. There are far-reaching implications for many industries. For example, House Bill 221 by Rep. Jeff Arnold, D-Algiers, forces consumer solicitations on loans and mortgages to have the permission of banks before using their names and logos. House Bill 148 by Rep. Elton Aubert, D-Vacherie, expands the type of risk-based capital reports included within the definition of “company-action level events.” Here’s a brief rundown of some of the other measures signed by Jindal today:
— HB 107: Changes the definition of a fraudulent insurance act.
— HB 137: Relates to property and casualty insurance providers.
— HB 144: Authorizes the Office of Financial Institutions to use electronic database licensing systems.
— HB 256: Requires new information be provided to funeral establishments.
— HB 259: Alters the Compulsory Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Law.
— HB 362: Relates to exemptions to the licensing and registration requirement for architects.
— HB 446: Limits applicability of insurance cancellation requirements.
To learn more about these new laws, visit legis.state.la.us. —Jeremy Alford
