HB 314 defines which local governments and special districts will receive state revenue sharing funds for fiscal year 2026-2027. It specifies eligible entities including parishes, school boards, fire protection districts, and water districts (like Red River Waterway District), while excluding certain levee districts and special taxing areas in specific parishes. The bill establishes that funding amounts will be calculated using population data from Louisiana State University’s annual estimates. This clarifies eligibility and distribution rules for Louisiana’s existing revenue sharing program, affecting hundreds of local taxing bodies across the state.
This bill establishes a framework for Louisiana to manage its state capital improvement projects through a five-year bond program. It repeals outdated bond authorizations that cannot be used due to inflation or impracticality while authorizing new bonds for essential projects. The State Bond Commission will issue general obligation bonds to fund capital improvements, with some projects requiring dedicated revenue streams like student fees to cover debt payments. This legislation creates a systematic process for updating bond authorizations annually to ensure only feasible and necessary projects receive funding.
This bill requires all K-12 school employees in Louisiana to immediately report any threats of violence or terrorism to local law enforcement and, if applicable, to the school administrator. It also mandates that law enforcement agencies forward these threat reports to the state's Louisiana Fusion Center within seven days, while protecting the privacy of students and individuals who made the reports. Additionally, the bill establishes a program where the Fusion Center will conduct free physical security assessments of public schools every three years starting in 2027, with optional assessments available for charter and nonpublic schools. The assessments will identify safety vulnerabilities and provide nonbinding recommendations for improvements, but schools are not required to implement these suggestions and will be protected from liability regardless of their decisions.
HB 386 clarifies funding rules for Louisiana charter schools by requiring that Type 1, 3, 3B (non-LEA), and Type 4 charter schools receive per-pupil funding based on the state's minimum foundation program, adjusted for student needs. The bill allows these schools to operate as their own local education agency (LEA) for funding purposes with local school board approval, while Type 2 and 5 charter schools are automatically treated as the LEA. It also authorizes the state to withhold 0.25% of certain fees from charter schools to cover administrative costs for financial oversight. This affects all Louisiana charter schools receiving state funding and standardizes their financial relationship with local districts.
HB 807 establishes a special fund within Louisiana's state treasury to support the Community and Technical College System's workforce training programs. It directly affects community colleges and private-sector employers in high-demand industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and information technology by providing funding to hire more instructors and expand training capacity. Key provisions include using the fund for rapid-response instructor deployment, recruitment incentives, temporary instructors, and salary supplements - while prohibiting these funds from replacing existing state higher education funding. The program requires annual reporting to legislative committees on fund usage, supported industries, and credentials awarded.
HB 821 establishes the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools within the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice. The center will administer school and nonprofit security programs, develop statewide safety frameworks (including threat assessment models), and provide training on emergency planning, facility security, and crisis response to schools and nonprofits. It will coordinate with state agencies like the Department of Education and coordinate emergency notification systems while maintaining data privacy. The bill also creates a 13-member advisory council, including education and law enforcement leaders, to review safety frameworks and recommend grant priorities.
HB 325 revises Louisiana's TOPS-Tech scholarship eligibility by adding a new pathway for students to qualify. Instead of requiring only a minimum GPA or ACT score, students can now qualify by completing at least nine credit hours of early college coursework (through dual enrollment or technical programs) or equivalent validated skills. This change applies to first-time freshmen enrolling in college during or after the 2026-2027 academic year. The bill directly affects Louisiana students seeking this career-focused scholarship by expanding how they can meet academic requirements.
This resolution urges public school officials and employees in Louisiana to follow existing state laws against bullying. It does not create new rules but asks schools to enforce current requirements that mandate anti-bullying policies, reporting procedures, and staff training. The document directs copies of this request to local school superintendents and charter school authorities. By emphasizing compliance with current statutes, the bill aims to ensure consistent enforcement of student safety measures already established by the legislature.
This bill updates the mathematics course requirements for students to qualify for Louisiana's TOPS scholarship awards, including Opportunity, Performance, Honors, Excellence, and TOPS-Tech programs. It establishes specific math course sequences that students must complete, allowing them to choose between traditional Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II or an alternative integrated mathematics sequence. The law sets different requirements based on graduation year, with some students needing three math units while others need four, and it expands course options for TOPS-Tech recipients to include applied math and computer science classes. These changes directly affect high school students graduating between 2021 and 2030 who wish to receive state scholarship funding.
HB 749 authorizes Louisiana’s Tuition Trust Authority to hire a private program manager to administer three existing savings programs: ABLE (for people with disabilities), START (for college savings), and START K12 (for K-12 education). It allows the authority to contract with this manager for account management and investment of funds after December 31, 2026, or when the contract is signed - whichever comes later. Until that date, the state continues managing interest rates, investments, and fund transfers under current rules. The bill updates statutes to formalize this transition and requires coordination with the state treasurer and legislative leaders. This change affects how Louisiana’s education savings programs operate, shifting administrative control to a contracted provider while maintaining existing program structures.
