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House to Weigh Protection from Climate-Related Lawsuits
The House is expected Tuesday to take up HB 804 by Rep. Brett Geymann (R-Lake Charles), legislation aimed at addressing the growing wave of climate-related litigation targeting more than just the energy sector. The measure addresses the expanding use of “climate liability” lawsuits—legal actions filed by individuals, as well as state and local governments, seeking to hold oil and gas companies financially responsible for the global impacts of climate change. These lawsuits typically seek billions of dollars in damages tied to storms, flooding, coastal erosion and other costs alleged to be climate related.
This issue is no longer theoretical. Across the country, more than two dozen lawsuits have been filed against energy companies, and the U.S. Supreme Court has begun weighing cases that could shape whether these claims move forward and where they will be heard. The suits represent an unprecedented expansion of liability and regulatory authority and threaten to raise costs for Louisiana employers and families.
HB 804 is designed to ensure Louisiana is prepared for this rapidly evolving legal landscape and to reinforce that energy policy should be set through the legislative and regulatory process—not through a patchwork of lawsuits.
Earlier this session, the bill advanced out of House Natural Resources following testimony, from LABI and coalition partners, highlighting the potential economic consequences of climate liability litigation for Louisiana’s energy-driven economy. LABI’s Will Green emphasized that Louisiana’s industrial base, jobs and investment outlook could be affected if similar lawsuits occur here.
This bill, dubbed the Louisiana Energy Protection Act, seeks to provide clarity and certainty by establishing guardrails against litigation that attempts to regulate emissions or energy production through the courts.