La. Stat. Ann. § R.S. 51:2603

Definitions

In Force
Verified 10/20/2026 · Next check 11/19/2026
effective 10/17/2026LouisianaFair Housing & Anti-Discrimination

Operative Text

La. Stat. Ann. § R.S. 51:2603
§2603. Definitions
As used in this Chapter:
(1) "Aggrieved person" includes any person who:
(a) Claims to have been injured by a discriminatory housing practice; or
(b) Believes that he will be injured by a discriminatory housing practice that is about to occur.
(2) "Complainant" means that person who files a complaint pursuant to R.S. 51:2611.
(3) "Conciliation" means the attempted resolution of issues raised by a complaint, or by the investigation of such complaint, through informal negotiations involving the aggrieved person, the respondent, and the attorney general or his designee.
(4) "Conciliation agreement" means a written agreement setting forth the resolution of the issues in conciliation.
(5)(a) "Disability" means, with respect to a person:
(i) A physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person's major life activities.
(ii) A record of having such an impairment; or
(iii) Being regarded as having such an impairment,
(b) Such term does not include current, illegal use of, or addiction to a controlled substance as defined in Section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. 802.
(6) "Discriminatory housing practice" means an act that is unlawful pursuant to R.S. 51:2606 through 2609.
(7) "Dwelling" means any building, structure, or portion thereof which is occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a residence by one or more families, and any vacant land which is offered for sale or lease for the construction or location thereon at any such building, structure, or portion thereof.
(8)(a) "Familial status" means one or more individuals, who have not attained the age of eighteen years, being domiciled with:
(i) A parent or another person having legal custody of such individual or individuals; or
(ii) The designee of such parent or other person having such custody, with the written permission of such parent or other person.
(b) The protections afforded against discrimination on the basis of familial status shall apply to any person who is pregnant or is in the process of securing legal custody of any individual who has not attained the age of eighteen years.
(9) "Family" includes a single individual.
(10) "Military status" means status as:
(a) A member of the uniformed forces, as defined in 10 U.S.C. 101(a)(5), of the United States or a reserve component thereof named under 10 U.S.C. 10101.
(b) A dependent as defined in 50 U.S.C. 3911(4) except that the support provided by the service member to the individual shall have been provided one hundred eighty days immediately preceding an alleged action that if proven true would constitute unlawful discrimination under this Section instead of one hundred eighty days immediately preceding an application for relief under 50 U.S.C. Chapter 50.
(11) "Natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle" shall include but is not limited to afros, dreadlocks, twists, locs, braids, cornrow braids, Bantu knots, curls, and hair styled to protect hair texture or for cultural significance.
(12) "Person" includes one or more individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, labor organizations, legal representatives, mutual companies, joint stock companies, trusts, unincorporated organizations, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, receivers, and fiduciaries.
(13) "Respondent" means the person or other entity accused in a complaint of a discriminatory housing practice, or, any other person or entity identified in the course of an investigation and notified that they are a respondent who shall be joined in the complaint.
(14) "To rent" includes to lease, to sublease, to let, and otherwise to grant for a consideration the right to occupy premises owned by the occupant.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

La. R.S. § 51:2603 establishes the foundational vocabulary for Louisiana's fair housing chapter, defining key terms such as "discriminatory housing practice," "dwelling," "disability," "familial status," and "military status," among others. These definitions determine who is protected, what conduct is covered, and how complaints and resolutions are framed throughout the chapter. The provision also clarifies that protections extend to pregnant individuals and those seeking legal custody of minors, and that natural or cultural hairstyles are explicitly recognized as a defined characteristic.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 17, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers operating in Louisiana should familiarize themselves with the defined terms in La. R.S. § 51:2603, because those definitions shape the scope of conduct that can constitute a discriminatory housing practice under the broader chapter. Compliant operators generally apply these definitions consistently when evaluating rental applications, lease terms, and accommodation requests — for example, recognizing that "family" includes a single individual and that "disability" encompasses both actual and perceived impairments. Understanding that "military status" and "natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle" are defined protected characteristics helps operators align their policies with the full range of covered categories.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

La. R.S. § 51:2603 sets out the definitions that determine whether a person qualifies as an "aggrieved person" and whether a housing action may constitute a "discriminatory housing practice" under Louisiana law. Tenants who believe they have experienced or are about to experience housing discrimination — including on the basis of disability, familial status, military status, or natural hairstyle — can look to these definitions to understand whether their situation falls within the chapter's protections. Those seeking to explore their options may consider contacting the Louisiana Attorney General's office, a local fair housing organization, or a tenant-rights group for general information about the complaint and conciliation process described in the chapter.

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.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 17, 2026
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References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

La. R.S. 9:1149.2
La. R.S. 51:2605
La. R.S. 51:2614
La. R.S. 51:2611
La. R.S. 40:1285.6
La. R.S. 40:1285.7
La. R.S. 40:1285.9
La. R.S. 40:1285.7
La. R.S. 40:1285.4
La. R.S. 40:1285.6
La. R.S. 40:508
La. R.S. 40:526
La. R.S. 46:1952
La. R.S. 46:1952
La. R.S. 46:1952
La. R.S. 46:2253
La. R.S. 51:1405
La. R.S. 51:1405
La. R.S. 51:2238
La. R.S. 51:2611
La. R.S. 51:2606
La. R.S. 51:2605
La. R.S. 51:2606
La. R.S. 51:2604
La. R.S. 51:2606
La. R.S. 51:2610
La. R.S. 51:2611
La. R.S. 51:2614
La. R.S. 51:2611
La. R.S. 9:3251
La. R.S. 9:3252
La. R.S. 9:1149.2
La. R.S. 9:1149.2
La. R.S. 9:3259.1
La. R.S. 9:3251
La. R.S. 9:3261.1
La. R.S. 9:3251
La. R.S. 9:3261.2

Related Rules

§ 5.106
§ 5.106 Equal access in accordance with the individual's gender identity in community planning and development programs.
§ 5.109
§ 5.109 Equal participation of faith-based organizations in HUD programs and activities.
§ 2
Policies; recommendations

Source Information

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