HB 28 amends Louisiana's teacher certification appeals process to give the state superintendent of education new authority. It allows the superintendent to override a Teacher Certification Appeals Council's denial of certification if the denial resulted from circumstances beyond the applicant's control (e.g., administrative errors), but not if the certification would conflict with state or federal law. This applies to applicants denied certification after January 1, 2025, including retroactive review of past denials. The bill directly affects educators seeking certification who have been denied by the appeals council. The key change is adding this superintendent override option while maintaining the council's decision as final except under these specific conditions.
This resolution asks the Louisiana Departments of Health and Education to share de-identified student vision screening data from 2018 to the present with independent researchers. The requested information includes details such as the year of screening, grade level, visual acuity results, and demographic categories to help analyze long-term trends in student eye health. While the bill does not change existing laws or require immediate action, it seeks to facilitate studies that could inform future decisions about student well-being and educational practices. If the agencies agree to provide the data, researchers will conduct the analysis and report their findings back to the legislature.
SB 28 lowers the minimum age requirement for associate teachers in Louisiana from 25 to 21 years old. This change directly affects individuals seeking to join Louisiana's associate educator program as new participants. The bill amends existing law (R.S. 17:7.8(B)(3)) to update this age requirement, with no other substantive policy changes described in the text. The bill is currently in early stages, having been prefilled and referred to the Education Committee.
HB 201 creates a State Seal of Fine Arts to recognize Louisiana high school graduates who complete specific arts coursework. To earn the seal, students must complete four credits in one arts discipline (like music or visual arts), maintain a 3.0 GPA in those courses, and complete an arts-related capstone project or portfolio. The state superintendent will provide schools with an insignia to affix to qualifying students' diplomas or transcripts, while schools must track recipients and the State Board of Education will establish detailed implementation rules. This bill directly affects Louisiana public high school students pursuing arts education and requires participating schools to administer the recognition program.
HB 285 allows Louisiana high school boards to partner with credit unions to operate on-site branches at high schools. The bill requires these branches to be integrated into the state-mandated financial literacy course (R.S. 17:270), giving students hands-on experience managing personal finances. School boards must establish rules for outside use of buildings, including fees, under this new partnership framework. The policy directly affects high school students, school boards, and credit unions by embedding practical financial education into existing coursework.
SB 305 requires Louisiana's Board of Regents and state agencies like Louisiana Works to create a free, public online dashboard showing how college programs connect to job outcomes. The dashboard will display data such as graduate employment rates, typical wages, and alignment with high-demand jobs, disaggregated by program. It aims to help students, families, and schools make informed decisions while allowing policymakers to assess workforce needs. The bill explicitly states it won’t mandate program changes, force performance funding, or disclose personal student information.
SB 376, the "Learn and Earn Act," creates a new program allowing Louisiana public high schools to partner with businesses for paid, credit-bearing work-based learning opportunities. It requires school boards to establish career practicums through written agreements with businesses that ensure fair value exchange (e.g., businesses provide equivalent benefit for school resources used) and align with state-approved career pathways. The program directly affects high school students - especially in rural or underserved communities - by offering compensated job training in fields like healthcare or technology while meeting educational requirements. Key provisions mandate that these practicums operate exclusively within defined instructional boundaries, prioritize student safety/supervision, and integrate financial literacy and employability skills.
This bill protects faculty members at Louisiana's public colleges and universities from retaliation when they report concerns about misconduct, abuse, or other improprieties, or when they exercise their academic freedom or free speech rights. It defines retaliation to include actions like firing, demotion, suspension, or negative evaluations, and explicitly states that faculty do not need to give prior notice before reporting issues or speaking out. The law imposes civil penalties of up to $100,000 per violation, allows faculty to sue for damages including lost wages and emotional harm, and requires institutions to adopt uniform reporting and investigation policies. Additionally, the bill mandates that colleges submit annual reports to the legislature on any complaints received regarding retaliation and removes sovereign immunity protections for institutions that violate these provisions.
HB 827 creates the Louisiana Plumbing Workforce Access Act, establishing a new pathway for obtaining plumbing licensure through community colleges and vocational schools instead of requiring employer sponsorship. It directly affects aspiring plumbers, particularly those from low-income communities, rural areas, and returning citizens (formerly incarcerated individuals), by providing structured classroom training, competency assessments, and supervised work experience (industry rotation) at participating employers. Key provisions include mandatory curriculum standards covering plumbing codes and safety, independent competency checkpoints to verify skills, and a requirement for students to complete 2,000 hours of hands-on work across multiple employers. The bill maintains existing exam standards and licensing requirements while expanding access to the profession to address a statewide shortage of licensed plumbers.
HB 469 establishes a $100 annual optional "pharmacy education support fee" for pharmacists and pharmacies renewing licenses or permits in Louisiana. Pharmacists and pharmacies can choose whether to pay the fee or select a specific public university pharmacy school (like Xavier University) to receive it, with the option to opt out entirely. Funds collected must supplement, not replace, existing university funding for pharmacy education programs. The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy will distribute payments to chosen schools by April 1 each year, ensuring the money directly supports pharmacy education initiatives at public universities.
