This page is being provided to give you information regarding the upcoming LA House Bill No. 342. If you oppose the idea of LA home contractors becoming home inspectors without going through all the currently required training, please use this information to reach out to your LA State Representative and let them know that you oppose HB 342.
Letter to Committee Members
Honored Representative,
In reference to House Bill No. 342 (HLS 23RS-244) filed by Rep. Geymenn for the La. State Contractors:
The intent of this bill is to change the current La. Home Inspection licensing law (LA Rev Stat § 37:1477 (2021)) to lessen the amount of training required for La. “licensed home contractors” to obtain their La. home inspection license.
This bill seems counterintuitive, as lessening the amount of training needed to become a home inspector would only serve to weaken the current licensing law (LA Title 37; Chapter 17-A § 37:1472), which “require(s) qualifying criteria in a professional field in which unqualified individuals may injure or mislead the public… (to) contribute to the safety, health, and welfare of the people of this state.”
To become a “licensed home contractor” in the state of Louisiana requires no formal training; simply filling out an online application, obtaining insurance, and paying the $75 fee qualifies anyone to become a home improvement contractor. To allow someone without any formal training to bypass any portion of the home inspection training requirements already established in law seems to go against the intent of our current licensing law. Incidentally, LA licensed engineers and architects, who go through a much more rigorous training program than home contractors, have no exceptions and must complete all the home inspection training steps outlined in the law.
Ironically, the vast majority of the problems discovered by home inspectors are the result of contractors not performing their jobs in accordance with current standards. It seems counterintuitive that, as a state, we’d allow these same contractors the ability to “police their own work” without the same level of training required of our current professional home inspectors.
I respectfully ask, for the sake of “the safety, health, and welfare of the people of this state,” that you vote against approval of House Bill No. 342 (HLS 23RS-244).
Sincerely,
A concerned voter
List of Commerce Committee Members
Rep. Paula Davis davisp@legis.la.gov 225-362-5301
Rep. Stephanie Hilferty hilfertys@legis.la.gov 504-885-4154
Rep. Chad Brown brownc@legis.la.gov 225-687-2410
Rep. Kenny Cox coxk@legis.la.gov 885-844-8583
Rep. Adrian Fisher hse016@legis.la.gov 318-556-7001
Rep. Bryan Fontenot hse055@legis.la.gov 985-447-0999
Rep. Jonathan Goudeau hse031@legis.la.gov 337-347-7077
Rep. Kyle Green Jr hse083@legis.la.gov 504-349-8788
Rep. Paul Hollis hollisp@legis.la.gov 985-871-4680
Rep. Edmond Jordan jordane@legis.la.gov 225-925-3700
Rep. Vanessa Caston LaFleur hse101@legis.la.gov 225-925-6880
Rep. Scott McKnight hse068@legis.la.gov 225-465-5703
Rep. Candace Newell hse099@legis.la.gov 504-240-3435
Rep. Thomas Pressly hse006@legis.la.gov 318-862-9920
Rep. Vinney St Blanc III hse050@legis.la.gov 337-828-7778
Rep. Phillip Tarver hse036@legis.la.gov 337-475-8186
Rep. Polly Thomas thomaspj@legis.la.gov 504-837-6559
Rep. Ryan Bourriaque hse047@legis.la.gov 337-893-5035
Rep. Mark Wright wrightm@legis.la.gov 985-893-6262
Rep. Tanner Magee mageet@legis.la.gov 985-858-2970
Rep. Clay Schexnayder schexnayderc@legis.la.gov 225-473-6016
Thanks for your help. Please reach out to me with any questions or comments.
Joe Cook
Joe@AmericanInspectionAcademy.com
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Thanks, Joe
