§ 51:2603 — Definitions

§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.

Legislative History

Acts 1991, No. 527, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1992, No. 569, §1; Acts 2014, No. 811, §28, eff. July 23, 2014; Acts 2022, No. 529, §3; Acts 2025, No. 100, §4.