LBA’s government relations team is trusted, respected and dedicated to promoting and preserving the pro-banking environment in Louisiana. LBA saw continued legislative success during the 2025 State Legislative Session, including passing 4 LBA-supported bills that were signed into law:
- Act 104 by Sen. Mike Reese will make the corporate tax environment for banks in Louisiana more attractive and incentivize banks to maintain or add branch locations in local communities by ensuring the value of their land, buildings and fixtures are not taxed more than once. The effective date of this Act is January 1, 2026, which means that it will be reflected for the first time in banks shares tax paid in December of 2026. Act 104 provides a full (100%) deduction from the bank shares tax assessed value calculation, of the assessed value of real estate, improvements, buildings, furniture and fixtures owned by the bank (hereafter collectively referred to as “real estate”). The current banks shares tax formula (until Act 104 becomes effective on January 1, 2026) only provides for a 50% deduction for real estate assessed value, which results in the bank paying tax twice on half of the assessed value of its real estate. This double-tax situation occurs because, like with other non-bank corporations, bank real estate is separately assessed and taxed by local assessors via the local property tax.
- Act 186 by Rep. Vincent Cox strengthens the criminal law against elderly financial exploitation. Act 186 increases penalties for perpetrators convicted of financial exploitation of the elderly under R.S. 14:93.4. The Act provides that upon a second or subsequent conviction, offenders shall face mandatory imprisonment for at least one year. Specifically, the Act provides that an offender shall be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than one year nor more than ten years and may, in addition, be required to pay a fine of not more than $20,000 dollars. The Act also requires that full restitution be made to the victim and any other person who has suffered a financial loss as a result of the offense.
- Act 188 by Rep. Wayne McMahen combats organized check fraud activity and other financial crimes. The perpetrators of such organized check fraud are commonly referred to as “money mules.” Money mules are individuals who are recruited or hired to cash or deposit fraudulent checks and then withdraw cash or transfer funds from the account before the bank discovers that the check was fraudulent. The Act mandates prison time for repeat offenders of two criminal offenses applicable to the conduct of money mules – bank fraud (R.S. 14:71.1) and wire fraud, referred to as illegal transmission of monetary funds, (R.S. 14:70.8). The Act amends both statutes to impose jail time and increase fines for a second or subsequent conviction. For a second or subsequent conviction, the offender shall be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than one year nor more than ten years and may, in addition, be required to pay a fine of not more than $100,000 dollars. One of the challenges with prosecuting money mules is that the suspect will attempt to avoid prosecution by claiming not to know that the check that they deposited or cashed was fraudulent. The ability to present evidence of a perpetrator’s prior check fraud conduct or evidence of communications with law enforcement warning them that their conduct is criminal can help prove criminal intent. The Act clarifies that such evidence is admissible under Code of Evidence Article 404 regarding the admissibility of character evidence at trial.
- Act 56 by Rep. Polly Thomas amends the bank records disclosure time periods contained in the Louisiana Banking Code (R.S. 6:333) to remove the reference to "business days" in the 30-day time period for disclosing records, and in the 30-day waiting period between providing notice to the customer and providing a compliance affidavit to the bank in order to obtain records. The law will now simply count “calendar days” (not business days).
Monitor, Track, Act
During the 2025 state legislative session, 1,695 bills, resolutions and study requests were reviewed by LBA and 100% of the bills that LBA identified as harmful to banks and their customers were either favorably amended or defeated during the state legislative process.
- 10,860+ messages were sent through LBA’s VoterVoice Call to Action campaigns to members of the Louisiana state legislature
- LBA State PAC 2025 contributions totaled $126,776—setting a new record!
- LBA Fed PAC 2025 contributions totaled $100,470—setting a new record!
- There were 31 members of Cliff's Club in 2025, which recognizes institutions whose employees and directors collectively give $1,000 or more to the Fed PAC
- LBA member banks and bankers have contributed over $3.75 million to the LBA PACs since 2001