House Bill No. by Representative Mandie Landry amends existing law to allow municipalities and parishes in Louisiana the option to adopt specific construction standards for residential buildings. The bill introduces a new section, R.S. 40:1730.28.6, which permits local governing authorities to require that all new residential construction, reconstruction, or residential re-roofing projects that involve replacing 50% or more of the total roof area must meet or exceed the FORTIFIED Home standards established by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). This local option is not mandatory, meaning that no parish or municipality is required to adopt these standards unless they choose to do so through an ordinance.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that any local ordinance adopted under this provision must include a verification process for the applicable FORTIFIED designation by an IBHS-certified evaluator before a certificate of occupancy or completion can be issued. Furthermore, it requires that any parish or municipality that enacts such an ordinance must notify the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council at least 60 days prior to the ordinance's effective date. The bill aims to enhance construction resilience while maintaining local autonomy in building standards.

Statutes affected:
HB461 Original: 40:28(A)