Conservative in Name Only: Louisiana GOP Backs Insurance Overreach in HB 148

HB 148 hands government more control over insurance—and Republican lawmakers helped make it hap

By The Bayou Insider Editorial Staff

“Three steps forward, five steps back.” That’s how the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) described Louisiana’s legislative performance this session—and they’re not wrong. While lawmakers passed several needed reforms to address legal system abuse and help stabilize our state’s volatile insurance market, those gains are now on the verge of being wiped out by a single, deeply flawed policy: House Bill 148.

This bill, championed by Governor Jeff Landry and backed by a large Republican majority, isn’t just a step in the wrong direction—it’s a full sprint toward the kind of overregulation Louisiana voters thought they left behind. It’s not just bad policy. It’s a betrayal of the conservative principles of free markets, limited government, and individual freedom. It threatens to deepen the state’s insurance crisis and exposes the uncomfortable truth that many of Louisiana’s elected “conservatives” are governing like big-government populists.

What Is HB 148?

At its core, HB 148 changes the way insurance rates are regulated in Louisiana—but not for the better. Instead of allowing insurance companies to propose rates based on actuarial science, risk modeling, and market data, the bill shifts authority to the Insurance Commissioner to suppress rates that are deemed “excessive”—regardless of whether the numbers actually reflect real-world risk.

Worse, it mandates that insurance companies disclose proprietary, internal, and even trade-secret-level information in order to justify rate filings. That kind of forced transparency may sound good politically, but in the private sector, it’s the equivalent of asking Coke to publish its secret formula so Pepsi can stay competitive.

The bill would transform what should be a data-driven, objective process into a politically charged battlefield, inviting interference based on optics rather than sound economics. It opens the door for politically motivated rate decisions that could scare off insurers, reduce competition, and ultimately harm the very consumers it claims to protect.

Why This Is a Bad Bill

It Abandons Free Market Principles

HB 148 represents a clear and dangerous departure from the free-market values that conservatives are supposed to uphold. It tells insurers, “You’re allowed to do business here—so long as you play by our political rules.” But that’s not capitalism. That’s government interference masquerading as consumer protection.

Free markets work by encouraging competition, innovation, and responsiveness to consumer needs. When government steps in to dictate pricing—especially in an industry as complex as insurance—it disrupts those market forces and sets the stage for instability. This bill doesn’t empower consumers—it empowers bureaucrats.

It Undermines Real Reform

This legislative session saw the passage of HB 431 (modified comparative negligence), HB 450 (“Housley” presumption), and HB 434 (No Pay, No Play)—all aimed at tackling legal system abuse that inflates claim costs and discourages insurers from operating in Louisiana.

These were true conservative victories—a step toward restoring stability and fairness to the system. But HB 148 throws that progress into jeopardy. Any savings or competitive edge gained through legal reform could be wiped out by the regulatory uncertainty and punitive atmosphere HB 148 creates.

It’s like putting out a fire in the kitchen and then torching the living room. Progress in one area means little if you’re simultaneously setting back the entire structure.

It Hurts Louisiana Citizens

The average Louisianan may not read insurance trade journals or follow statehouse debates—but they absolutely feel the consequences of bad insurance policy. If HB 148 becomes law, insurers may:

• Raise premiums to hedge against regulatory risk

• Limit the types of policies they offer—or

• Leave the Louisiana market entirely

All of that results in fewer options, higher costs, and more hardship for homeowners, drivers, and small business owners. And when a hurricane hits or a flood devastates a neighborhood, it will be families—not politicians—who are left without adequate protection.

Governor Landry’s Leadership Under Fire

Governor Jeff Landry ran on a bold platform: drain the swamp, shrink the bureaucracy, fight for working families, and return Louisiana to the values of faith, freedom, and fiscal responsibility.

But HB 148 contradicts every one of those promises.

Instead of draining bureaucracy, he’s empowering it. Instead of shrinking government, he’s expanding its reach into private industry. Instead of protecting families, he’s playing populist politics—trying to look “tough” on insurers while risking real harm to the very people who elected him.

We’re not the only ones saying it. APCIA has warned that if HB 148 is signed into law, the crisis in Louisiana’s insurance market will likely worsen. In fact, the state could end up resembling California’s failed model—where insurers are fleeing and rates are skyrocketing.

Governor Landry should be leading Louisiana away from crisis—not legislating us deeper into one.

The Republican Party’s Identity Crisis

The dirty little secret behind HB 148? Most of the lawmakers who voted for it were Republicans.

That’s not just disappointing—it’s revealing. For years, the Louisiana GOP has claimed to be the party of small government, free enterprise, and individual liberty. But with HB 148, we see a different picture: a party increasingly comfortable using the power of the state to control private industry when it suits their agenda.

It’s a classic bait-and-switch. Run as a conservative, govern as a central planner.

This kind of policy should raise serious red flags for anyone who believes in freedom. It’s not enough to slap a Republican label on a bill and expect people to blindly support it. The conservative movement in Louisiana must reckon with the fact that many of its elected officials are drifting from their own stated values.

Consequences We Can’t Afford

The passage of HB 148 sends a chilling message to insurers: Louisiana is not a safe place to do business. And once that message spreads, the consequences will be hard to reverse.

• Fewer insurers means less competition, which leads to higher premiums.

• Reduced policy offerings mean less choice for homeowners and small businesses.

• More government oversight creates more red tape and slower response times for claims.

• And in the long term, economic development will suffer as businesses look elsewhere to invest.

If the insurance industry pulls out—or prices itself out of reach—families across Louisiana will be left vulnerable. And this time, we won’t be able to blame hurricanes or floods. We’ll have only our leaders to blame.

Conservatism Must Be More Than a Campaign Slogan

At some point, conservative voters in this state have to ask: What are we actually voting for?

Because if our “conservative” leaders are pushing bills that suppress markets, expand bureaucracy, and punish private business, then we’re not voting for freedom—we’re voting for control.

Governor Landry should veto HB 148. And if he doesn’t, the people of Louisiana should remember which lawmakers supported this bill and hold them accountable in the next election. Conservatives must stop giving free passes to bad policy just because it comes from the right side of the aisle.

The people of this state deserve real reform—not political posturing. They deserve markets that work—not systems rigged by politicians. They deserve leaders who fight for liberty—not ones who legislate like authoritarians.

Because if the people who claim to defend freedom are the same ones expanding government control—who is left to fight for us?

What You Can Do

This is a defining moment for Louisiana—and for the future of conservative leadership in our state. If you believe in limited government, free markets, and real reform, now is the time to act.

1. Contact Governor Landry

Tell him to veto HB 148 and stand by the principles he campaigned on. Remind him that conservatives didn’t vote for more government control.

• Phone: (225) 342-7015

• Email: governor@la.gov

• Mail: Office of the Governor, P.O. Box 94004, Baton Rouge, LA 70804

2. Reach Out to Your State Representative

If your representative voted yes on HB 148, ask them why they supported a bill that grows government and undermines competition. If they voted no, thank them for standing on principle and encourage them to keep fighting. Here is a list of the votes and who voted YES and NO:

3. Share This Editorial

Spread the word. Email it, post it, text it. Make sure every voter in Louisiana knows what’s happening before it’s too late.

Freedom only survives when everyday people stand up for it.

If we stay silent, we signal our consent. If we speak up, we remind those in power that they work for us—not the other way around.