Education

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 8, 2026

HB 1203: EDUCATION: Provides relative to parent-driven learning microschools

This bill amends Louisiana statutes to create legal protections for parent-driven learning microschools and public school learning pods. It allows parents to group their children together for personalized education in private homes or other buildings without triggering zoning changes or additional fire safety regulations. The legislation also exempts these microschools from standard licensure requirements and clarifies that they cannot be forced to register with government agencies. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of public school learning pods to include small group instruction settings and directs the state law institute to update related terminology.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands educational access by legalizing parent-driven microschools and removing licensure barriers, allowing more flexible learning options.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 2, 2026

HB 749: FUNDS/INVESTMENTS: Authorizes the Louisiana Tuition Trust Authority to contract with a program manager for the administration of certain savings accounts (ABLE, START, and START K12 programs) and the investment of account funds (EN +$4,000,000 GF EX See Note)

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAuthorizes administration of START K12 savings program, supporting K-12 educational funding access through private management contracts for savings accounts.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Louisiana · Senate Jun 1, 2026

SB 441: STUDENTS: Provides relative to programs for prekindergarten-aged children. (gov sig) (EN -$6,530 GF RV See Note)

This bill establishes and regulates prekindergarten programs in Louisiana by setting child safety and welfare standards for both public and nonpublic schools. It requires all prekindergarten programs to maintain specific staff-to-child ratios and ensure at least two staff members are present when more than four children are in a facility. The legislation also mandates that nonpublic prekindergarten programs be licensed as early learning centers and requires parents to acknowledge that these programs are not subject to federal daycare regulations. Additionally, the bill directs local school boards to develop mixed provider delivery models for full-day, year-round prekindergarten instruction starting in the 2023-2024 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes and regulates prekindergarten programs, setting safety standards and staff requirements to enhance early education access and quality.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 304: COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES: Provides for accreditation for public colleges and universities. (gov sig) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 304 establishes new rules for accrediting Louisiana's public colleges and universities, giving the Board of Regents authority to set accreditation policies. It directly affects all public postsecondary institutions and their management boards (like those for LSU, Southern University, and community colleges). Key provisions require institutions to get management board approval before switching accreditors, mandate that new accreditors must prioritize student success, educational quality, affordability, and financial stability, and prohibit any accreditor from conditioning accreditation on legal violations. The bill also requires institutions to publicly post accreditation status updates on their websites.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates accreditors prioritize student success and educational quality, strengthening oversight for public universities per bill's core provisions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Louisiana · House May 29, 2026

HB 351: CORRECTIONS: Provides relative to the reentry preparation program (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

HB 351 repeals two specific provisions related to Louisiana's reentry preparation program for formerly incarcerated individuals. It removes a requirement (R.S. 15:827.1(E)) about reentry programs and eliminates an entrepreneurial educational curriculum component within that program. This bill directly affects inmates participating in Louisiana's reentry programs by removing these specific policy requirements from state law. The change is procedural, with no new requirements or funding added.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRemoves entrepreneurial curriculum from reentry program, reducing rehabilitation components per bill summary95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRemoves entrepreneurial educational curriculum component from reentry program, directly eliminating an educational requirement for formerly incarcerated individuals.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 399: COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES: Creates the Louisiana Higher Education Research Security Council. (1/1/27) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 399 creates the Louisiana Higher Education Research Security Council to protect the state's colleges and universities from foreign adversaries. The law requires institutions to report and restrict gifts, contracts, research partnerships, and academic collaborations with entities from countries or groups designated as foreign adversaries, while prohibiting certain travel and gifts from such sources. It defines key terms like "foreign adversary" and "foreign source," and includes penalties for violations, such as the theft of trade secrets. The bill directly affects all Louisiana institutions of higher education that grant degrees or have a physical presence in the state.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts foreign research partnerships and gifts at universities, limiting academic collaborations per security mandates.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Louisiana · House May 22, 2026

HB 28: TEACHERS/CERTIFICATION: Provides relative to the appeals process for teacher certification applicants

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAmends appeals process to allow superintendent override of administrative errors in teacher certification, protecting applicants from non-fault denials.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 15, 2026

SB 13: TEACHERS RETIREMENT: Provides relative to the determination of employer contributions and amortization of certain actuarial gains. (gov sig) (EN SEE ACTUARIAL NOTE FC)

SB 13 modifies how Louisiana's Teachers' Retirement System calculates employer contributions and handles investment returns. It changes the method for applying excess investment returns to reduce the system's debt, specifically requiring reamortization (resetting payment schedules) when the system reaches 80% funding or every five years starting in 2019. This affects the state's payments into the retirement fund and directly impacts public school teachers' retirement benefits. The bill repeals outdated calculation rules and clarifies how future contributions will be applied to the system's debt.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill modifies retirement funding to apply excess returns toward debt reduction, promoting fiscal responsibility in state budget management.92% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill modifies retirement system funding method, reducing state contributions by applying investment returns to debt reduction, directly impacting teacher benefits and potentially weakening retirement security.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentModifies retirement funding to secure teacher benefits by reducing system debt, preventing underfunding of retirement obligations.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Education