Louisiana Motor Transport Association

www.lmta.la | www.lmta.foundation

lmta@lmta.la

(225) 928-5682

Action Needed:

LMTA is asking members and industry partners to make their voices heard and support preserving the reforms contained in HB 456 and SB 408.

Please complete the support letter:
Protect Workers' Compensation Reform with HB 456 & SB 408

Workers’ Compensation Reform Takes Center Stage as Session Nears Conclusion

As the Legislature enters the final days of session, LMTA’s advocacy efforts are heavily focused on preserving meaningful workers’ compensation reform through HB 456 and SB 408.

These two bills represent the most significant effort in more than 30 years to modernize Louisiana’s workers’ compensation system. While both measures have advanced through the legislative process, there are growing concerns that key reform provisions could be weakened, stripped from the bills, or vetoed before becoming law.

Why It Matters:

Louisiana has become a national outlier in workers’ compensation, with claim costs and premiums that continue to place employers at a competitive disadvantage.

Key challenges include:

• Total claim costs among the highest in the nation
• Medical and indemnity costs that substantially exceed neighboring Southern states
• Employees remaining out of work significantly longer than workers in Texas, Mississippi, and Arkansas
• Litigation and attorney costs that continue driving up premiums for Louisiana businesses

The accompanying graph highlights one example of the problem, showing Louisiana’s medical claim severity exceeding that of surrounding Southern states.

HB 456 and SB 408 work together to address these issues by:

• Updating Louisiana’s outdated medical fee schedule
• Reducing costly litigation abuse
• Creating faster and more predictable dispute resolution
• Clarifying disability standards while preserving protections for seriously injured workers

Importantly, these reforms are designed to bring Louisiana more in line with neighboring states while maintaining the integrity of the workers’ compensation safety net for injured workers.

Without the key reform language currently included in these bills, Louisiana businesses could face higher medical reimbursement costs without meaningful relief from litigation and indemnity expenses—further increasing workers’ compensation premiums across the state.

Action Needed:

LMTA is asking members and industry partners to make their voices heard and support preserving the reforms contained in HB 456 and SB 408.

Please complete the support letter:
Protect Workers' Compensation Reform with HB 456 & SB 408

Looking Ahead:

With only days remaining in the legislative session, decisions made on HB 456 and SB 408 could have long-term implications for Louisiana’s business climate, workers’ compensation system, and the cost of doing business in our state.

As lawmakers complete their work and final outcomes become clear, LMTA will provide members with a comprehensive end-of-session legislative recap next week, including the status of key trucking, legal reform, insurance, and business climate issues.

LMTA will continue advocating for meaningful reform and will keep members informed as developments unfold.