La. Stat. Ann. § R.S. 51:2236
Parishes and municipalities may prohibit discrimination
Operative Text
§2236. Parishes and municipalities may prohibit discrimination A. Parishes and municipalities may adopt and enforce ordinances, orders, and resolutions prohibiting all forms of discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, or natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle, and to prescribe penalties for violations thereof, such penalties being in addition to the remedial orders and enforcement herein authorized. B. Parishes and municipalities may adopt and enforce ordinances, orders, and resolutions prohibiting discrimination, but no ordinance, order, or resolution shall attempt to exempt more transactions from its coverage than are exempted by R.S. 51:2250.
La. R.S. § 51:2236 grants Louisiana parishes and municipalities the authority to pass their own local ordinances prohibiting discrimination in housing and other transactions, including discrimination based on race, religion, sex, disability, age, and hairstyle, among other characteristics. Local governments may also set their own penalties for violations, which stack on top of any remedies available under state law. However, local ordinances cannot exempt more transactions from coverage than state law already exempts under R.S. 51:2250.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under La. R.S. § 51:2236, property owners and managers operating in Louisiana should be aware that their parish or municipality may have adopted anti-discrimination ordinances that go beyond state-level protections, potentially covering additional characteristics or imposing additional penalties. Compliant operators generally review both state law and any applicable local ordinances to understand the full scope of prohibited conduct in their jurisdiction. Local penalties authorized by this provision are imposed in addition to, not instead of, remedies available under state law.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
La. R.S. § 51:2236 means that tenants in Louisiana may have anti-discrimination protections not only under state law but also under local parish or municipal ordinances, which can cover characteristics such as natural or protective hairstyle and may carry their own separate penalties. Tenants who believe they have experienced housing discrimination may want to check whether their local government has enacted ordinances under this provision and what enforcement mechanisms those ordinances provide. Consulting a tenant-rights organization or local fair housing agency can help identify which local and state protections may apply to a given situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 17, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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