HLS 24RS-1780 ENGROSSED
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 913
BY REPRESENTATIVE SELDERS
UTILITIES: Provides for transparency for utility bills
1 AN ACT
2To enact Chapter 43-A of Title 51 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be
3 comprised of R.S. 51:2621 and 2622, relative to transparency for utility bills; to
4 provide for certain information from utility bills for residential properties; to define
5 housing provider; to provide for requests for information; to provide for violations,
6 civil remedies, and penalties; and to provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. Chapter 43-A of Title 51 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,
9comprised of R.S. 51:2621 and 2622, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 CHAPTER 43-A. TENANT BILL TRANSPARENCY
11 §2621. Access to utility bills
12 A. For the purposes of this Section, "housing provider" means an owner,
13 lessor, sublessor, property manager, or property management company that leases
14 or rents residential property.
15 B. This Section applies to housing providers that control the utility accounts
16 for residential properties occupied by tenants.
17 C. A housing provider shall provide to a tenant a copy of the original utility
18 bill for the residential property where the tenant resides if all of the following occur:
19 (1) A tenant requests, in writing, to the housing provider a copy of the
20 original utility bill.
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 24RS-1780 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 913
1 (2) A tenant provides identification that he is the current tenant in the
2 residential property for which information is being requested.
3 (3) A tenant states which method he would like to receive the bill, either by
4 mail or email, and the corresponding information needed to fulfill the request.
5 D. If a tenant satisfies the requirements in Subsection C, a housing provider
6 shall provide the information within fifteen days of the request. After the initial
7 request, a housing provider shall provide to the tenant, a copy of the original utility
8 bill monthly, before payments of those bills are due.
9 §2622. Violations; civil remedies; penalties
10 A. A housing provider that violates the provisions of this Chapter shall be
11 fined not more than five hundred dollars per violation.
12 B. A tenant may bring a civil action against a housing provider in violation
13 of the provisions of this Chapter to enjoin further violation and recover penalties
14 pursuant to Subsection A of this Section.
15 C. The attorney general may bring an action against a housing provider in
16 violation of the provisions of this Chapter to seek injunctive relief and to impose
17 penalties pursuant to Subsection A of this Section.
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 913 Engrossed 2024 Regular Session Selders
Abstract: Provides relative to transparency for utility bills.
Proposed law defines "housing provider"
Proposed law applies to housing providers that control utility accounts for residential
properties occupied by tenants.
Proposed law states that a housing provider shall provide to a tenant a copy of the original
utility bill for the residential property where they reside if all the following occur:
(1)A tenant requests, in writing, to the housing provider a copy of the original utility
bill.
(2)A tenant provides identification that he is the current tenant in the residential
property for which information is being requested.
Page 2 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 24RS-1780 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 913
(3)A tenant states which method he would like to receive the bill, either by mail or
email, and the corresponding information needed to fulfill the request.
Proposed law states that if a tenant satisfies the requirements in proposed law, a housing
provider shall provide the information within 15 days of the request. After the initial
request, a housing provider shall provide to the tenant, a copy of the original utility bill
monthly, before payments of those bills are due.
Proposed law provides that a housing provider shall be fined not more than $500 per
violation for violating proposed law.
Proposed law allows a tenant or the attorney general to bring an action against a housing
provider that violates proposed law. Further provides for penalties.
(Adds R.S. 51:2621 and 2622)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Commerce to the
original bill:
1. Make technical changes to the title.
2. Clarify that a copy of the original utility bill is required.
3. Add violations, penalties, and civil remedies regarding housing providers that do
not provide a copy of original utility bills pursuant to proposed law.
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.