State Rep. Paul Sawyer says his first legislative session was a success, highlighting new investments in insurance reform, fortified roofs, and flood protection projects across Louisiana.
Sawyer joined Talk 107.3 to discuss the 2026 legislative session and what lawmakers accomplished before adjournment. The freshman legislator said he enjoyed working with colleagues across party lines and building relationships that can help move future legislation forward.
One of the biggest wins this session involved Louisiana’s Fortify Homes Program. Lawmakers approved an additional $50 million for the program, which helps homeowners strengthen roofs against hurricane damage. Sawyer said the new funding will allow the state to roughly double the number of fortified roofs currently in place.
The program currently prioritizes coastal parishes that face the highest hurricane risk. However, Sawyer said reducing storm-related losses along the coast can help lower insurance risk statewide over time. He described the investment as another step toward improving Louisiana’s insurance market through a series of smaller but meaningful reforms.
Lawmakers also approved measures aimed at reducing flood risk in the Amite River Basin. Sawyer said the legislation creates funding mechanisms to support projects that restore and protect natural areas that can slow, store, and manage floodwaters more effectively.
The effort began as a statewide proposal but was narrowed to the Amite River Basin because of fiscal concerns. Sawyer said the region will now serve as a testing ground for flood mitigation strategies that could eventually expand to other river systems across Louisiana, including the Ouachita, Red River, and Vermilion-Teche watersheds.
Sawyer noted that river flooding remains one of Louisiana’s biggest flood threats. He said successful projects in the Amite River Basin could provide a blueprint for communities across the state looking to reduce future flood risks.