BUILDING CODES: Provides relative to allowing municipalities or parishes to adopt certain construction standards

HLS 26RS-1245 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 461
BY REPRESENTATIVE MANDIE LANDRY
BUILDING CODES: Provides relative to allowing municipalities or parishes to adopt
certain construction standards
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 40:1730.28(A)(introductory paragraph) and to enact R.S.
3 40:1730.28.6, relative to allowing municipalities and parishes to adopt certain
4 construction standards; to provide for exceptions; to provide for the option for a
5 parish or municipality to require certain standards; to provide for the verification of
6 a certain designation; to provide for notification; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 40:1730.28(A)(introductory paragraph) is hereby amended and
9 reenacted and R.S. 40:1730.28.6 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §1730.28. Mandatory adoption of certain nationally recognized codes and standards
11 as the state uniform construction code; adoption by reference
12 A. Except as provided in Subsection C of this Section and R.S. 40:1730.28.6,
13 the council shall evaluate, adopt, and amend only the latest editions of the following
14 as the State Uniform Construction Code:
15 * * *
16 §1730.28.6. Local option for resilient construction
17 A. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the governing
18 authority of any parish or municipality may, by local ordinance, elect to require that
19 all new residential construction, reconstruction, or residential re-roofing projects
20 involving the replacement of fifty percent or more of the total roof area meet or
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1245 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 461
1 exceed the FORTIFIED Home™ standards as established by the Insurance Institute
2 for Business & Home Safety, or IBHS.
3 B. The authority granted in this Section is strictly a local option and shall not
4 be construed to require any parish or municipality to adopt standards beyond the
5 State Uniform Construction Code unless the local governing authority affirmatively
6 elects to do so by ordinance.
7 C. Any local ordinance adopted pursuant to this Section shall require
8 verification of the applicable FORTIFIED™ designation by an IBHS-certified
9 evaluator prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy or completion.
10 D. A parish or municipality that adopts such an ordinance shall notify the
11 Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council at least sixty days prior to the
12 effective date of the local ordinance.
13 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
14 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
15 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
16 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
17 effective on the day following such approval.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 461 Original 2026 Regular Session Mandie Landry
Abstract: Provides relative to allowing municipalities and parishes to adopt certain
construction standards.
Present law provides that except as provided in present law, the council shall evaluate, adopt,
and amend only the latest editions of certain State Uniform Construction Code.
Proposed law adds another exception for proposed law.
Proposed law provides that notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the
governing authority of any parish or municipality may, by local ordinance, elect to require
that all new residential construction, reconstruction, or residential re-roofing projects
involving the replacement of 50% or more of the total roof area meet or exceed the
FORTIFIED Home™ standards as established by the Insurance Institute for Business &
Home Safety, or IBHS.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1245 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 461
Proposed law provides that the authority granted in proposed law is strictly a local option
and shall not be construed to require any parish or municipality to adopt standards beyond
the State Uniform Construction Code.
Proposed law provides that any local ordinance adopted pursuant to proposed law shall
require verification of the applicable FORTIFIED™ designation by an IBHS-certified
evaluator prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy or completion.
Proposed law requires that any parish or municipality that adopts such an ordinance shall
notify the La. State Uniform Construction Code Council at least 60 days prior to the
effective date of the local ordinance.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 40:1730.28(A)(intro. para.); Adds R.S. 40:1730.28.6)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.