House Bill No. by Representative Thomas amends R.S. 6:333(C)(2)(b) and (G) to enhance the requirements for banks regarding the disclosure of financial records. The bill stipulates that before a bank can disclose financial records, the requesting party must provide an affidavit confirming that service was made at least thirty calendar days prior to the return date, replacing the previous requirement of thirty business days. Additionally, the bill mandates that banks be given a reasonable period of time, not less than thirty calendar days, to complete the necessary actions for disclosing the requested financial records.

Furthermore, the bill establishes that banks must be reimbursed for reasonable fees and costs incurred during the compliance process, which may include document reproduction, research, processing, personnel, and travel expenses. If there is a disagreement between the bank and the requesting party regarding the reimbursement amount, the bank is not obligated to produce the financial records until a court or appropriate body has determined the fees to be paid. This legislative change aims to clarify the conditions under which financial records can be disclosed and ensure that banks are compensated for their efforts in complying with such requests.

Statutes affected:
HB91 Original: 6:333(C)(2)
HB91 Engrossed: 6:333(C)(2)
HB91 Enrolled: 6:333(C)(2)
HB91 Act 56: 6:333(C)(2)