In an ordinary year the Louisiana Bankers Association might lobby for a dozen or so bills during the state legislative session.
This year, though, with the Legislature set to convene March 27 for its first regular session since the Gulf Coast hurricanes, the trade group says mainly it will be playing defense. Instead of advocating for specific pieces of legislation, the group says it will monitor bills that are meant to speed up the state's recovery but could have "unintended consequences" for the banking industry or the state's economy.
"We won't have the normal slate of bills where we try to enhance the business climate," said Peter Gwaltney, the Louisiana Bankers' chief executive officer. "We are just trying to do no harm."
Mr. Gwaltney said he is concerned that lawmakers might introduce a bill that would force insurance companies to make payments on claims that were not written into homeowners' insurance contracts.
Robert T. Taylor, the director of government relations at the trade group, said that if such a bill were to pass, insurance companies might no longer want to do business in the state.
No such bill has been introduced, but Mr. Gwaltney said it is important for bankers to remain vigilant throughout the 12-week session.
"When you have so many legislators trying to solve this many problems, bad things can happen," he said. Lawmakers have until March 24 to introduce legislation.
