Statewide and Local Issues Addressed by the Chamber
The Jefferson Chamber serves as the voice of business for Jefferson Parish but also contributes on federal, regional, and statewide issues. The Chamber listens closely and is proactive on the issues and concerns of its members and the business community. During the 2025 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session, the Jefferson Chamber provided a series of weekly email updates to membership on a variety of bills that were introduced. The Jefferson Chamber addressed numerous state and local issues, including insurance, education and workforce development, economic development, agency reorganization, permitting and planning and more.
INSURANCE
Louisiana’s Legislature advanced several insurance reforms aimed at reducing the state’s high auto and property insurance costs. Key auto-related changes include adopting modified comparative fault to bar recovery for drivers who are 51% or more at fault, eliminating the “Houseley Presumption” to require plaintiffs to prove accident-related injuries, strengthening the “No Pay, No Play” law by raising the unrecoverable amounts for uninsured drivers to $100,000, and increasing transparency in medical billing during jury trials. On the property side, lawmakers expanded incentives for homeowners to strengthen their roofs by doubling the tax deduction for private retrofits, allocating $10 million more for roof-fortification grants, and creating a dedicated fee to sustainably fund these programs.
EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
This year’s major education and workforce actions centered less on policy changes and more on significant funding decisions. Lawmakers approved a plan to liquidate three education trust funds, use roughly $2 billion to pay down teachers’ retirement debt, and redirect the resulting savings to provide a permanent $2,250 annual teacher pay raise, pending voter approval of a related constitutional amendment. They also created a new high-achievement TOPS tier offering up to $12,000 annually for top-performing students, streamlined the process for routine campus maintenance projects, and continued funding for community college capital improvements through an ongoing bond program. Additionally, the Higher Education Campus Revitalization Fund will receive millions to support deferred maintenance, capital improvements, campus security, graduate assistantships, and facility needs. A further workforce-focused measure expands an existing tax credit for businesses that help cover employee childcare costs, aiming to increase access to high-quality early learning and ease a major barrier to workforce participation.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Louisiana’s Legislature advanced a broad package of economic development measures aimed at strengthening the state’s competitiveness and modernizing its tools for attracting jobs and investment. Lawmakers expanded the ongoing reorganization of the economic development department to increase flexibility and land-use authority, created a new Site Investment and Infrastructure Improvement Fund with an unprecedented $150 million initial investment to prepare project-ready sites, and directed $272 million from the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund to support rapid-response project funding, statewide marketing, major event incentives, and other development initiatives. They also established a new grant-based High Impact Jobs Program to replace the former tax-credit model and approved a mechanism allowing local governments to voluntarily reduce or eliminate the business inventory tax, a longstanding barrier to attracting new employers.
AGENCY REORGANIZATION
Louisiana lawmakers approved a series of agency reorganizations aimed at improving efficiency and coordination across state government. Major changes to the Department of Transportation and Development create new offices to modernize project delivery, accelerate work on state-funded roads, and expand opportunities for privatization. The Legislature also shifted several support programs from the Department of Children and Family Services to the newly renamed Louisiana Works, creating a more seamless “one-door” system that links job training with benefits like Medicaid, SNAP, and childcare assistance. Additional actions include restructuring the state’s energy agency as the Department of Conservation and Energy and consolidating emergency management functions by merging the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness into the Military Department.
PARISH PERMITTING AND PLANNING
The Jefferson Chamber of Commerce is actively participating in the Jefferson Parish President’s Advisory Committee on Permitting and Planning, advocating for a more efficient, predictable, and business-friendly development environment. Through this committee, the Chamber is helping guide efforts to modernize the parish’s permitting and planning codes, streamline review processes, and reduce unnecessary delays. By bringing the voice of the business community to the table, the Chamber is working to ensure that Jefferson Parish remains competitive, supportive of investment, and well-positioned for future growth.
Legislative Issues Breakfast
On Tuesday, June 17, at the Hilton New Orleans Airport Hotel in Kenner, President and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), Will Green, and President and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., Michael Hecht, presented legislation pertinent to the business community from the 2025 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session. Boasting a crowd of over 300 attendees, the discussion between Green and Hecht focused on a wide range of subjects, including insurance, economic development, and education & workforce development. Sponsored by Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company, the event also featured a pass the mic “Two Minute Take,” which is extended to members of the Jefferson Delegation to speak briefly on their 2025 priorities. Senate President Cameron Henry, Senator Greg Miller, Senator Kirk Talbot, Representative Debbie Villio, Representative Laurie Schlegel, Representative Rodney Lyons and Representative John Illg each provided commentary during the segment.
Evening at the Legislature
On Wednesday, April 16, the Chamber held its annual Evening at the Legislature, presented by Peoples Health, at the LABI headquarters in Baton Rouge. The event offers leaders in the Jefferson Parish community an opportunity to learn about the legislative process and receive information on the status of key legislation critical to Jefferson Parish and the business community. The 2025 event included a legislative briefing to approximately 85 attendees, which featured presentations by president and CEO of LABI, Will Green, Ileana Ledet, Chief Officer of Economic Competitiveness of LED, Chris Stelly, Director of Legislative Affairs of LED, and Luke Morris, Assistant Secretary of Legal Affairs for the Department of Revenue. A comprehensive overview of current bills that impact Jefferson Parish and Greater New Orleans preceded a reception with members of the Jefferson Legislative Delegation.
Washington D.C. Fly-In
The Jefferson Chamber made its annual trip to our nation’s capital on September 9 – 12 for the 2025 Washington, D.C. Fly-In, presented by International-Matex Tank Terminals (IMTT), as top business leaders met with federal officials to discuss important issues vital to the Greater New Orleans region, such as coastal restoration, insurance reform, education, and more. Events during the three-day visit included U.S. Chamber of Commerce Briefings, a tour of the United States Capitol, a Po’Boys & Politics Rooftop Reception, a reception in the Lincoln Room of the U.S. Capitol hosted by Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and briefings with several members of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
State of Jefferson
On Wednesday, October 29, the Jefferson Chamber hosted its annual State of Jefferson business luncheon at the Alario Center in Westwego. Selling out since its creation, each year’s attendance includes a “who’s who” roster of local business leaders and politicians. Each year, the Chamber invites Jefferson Parish leadership to discuss and evaluate progress, performance, and future planning in the community. In 2025, Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng and Jefferson Parish Council Chairman/Councilman-at-Large, Division B, Scott Walker provided updates and participated in a panel discussion.
