SB 37 establishes a statewide lead poisoning prevention program within Louisiana's Department of Health. It requires lead testing in early learning centers and schools (with prekindergarten programs or elementary grades) built before 1978 to obtain occupancy approval, and mandates healthcare providers to report confirmed lead poisoning cases. The program also sets protocols for detecting lead sources (prioritizing areas with recent cases and children under six) and requires abatement of lead hazards when contamination is found. These changes directly affect schools, healthcare providers, and the Department of Health, focusing on prevention, testing, and treatment for children under six.
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.
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.
SB 394 modifies Louisiana's LA GATOR Scholarship Program to allow parents of full-time students enrolled in BESE-approved nonpublic schools to voluntarily sign a limited privacy waiver. This waiver permits the state to share specific student information (like name, birth date, and enrollment status) with the scholarship program manager and school, enabling faster tuition payments to avoid disruptions in student attendance or reserved spots. The waiver is strictly limited in scope - only for tuition payment processing - and does not override all privacy rights; parents can revoke consent in writing at any time. The bill also mandates data security safeguards for protected information and requires a clear, standardized consent form explaining what data is shared and why.
HB 316 requires Louisiana teacher education programs to include specific literacy training for educators preparing to teach students in kindergarten through third grade and for secondary teachers working with grades 4-8. It mandates that programs cover foundational literacy skills (like phonemic awareness and dyslexia support) and adolescent literacy strategies (including science-of-reading approaches for content-area learning). The bill also requires public schools to annually review student literacy plans for grades 4-8 and consolidate related improvement plans into single documents. These changes directly affect teacher training institutions, public schools, and students in grades 4-8 by establishing new standards for literacy instruction and intervention planning.
HB 352 requires Louisiana public school districts to create and publish policies enabling behavioral health services for students during school hours. It allows services in classrooms during instructional time (including core subjects) if parents provide a provider-approved evaluation and treatment plan showing medical necessity, with in-person supervision by certified behavior analysts required. The bill defines key terms like "medically necessary services" and mandates that schools collaborate with providers to schedule services without disrupting school operations or testing. It directly affects public school students needing behavioral health support, their parents, school administrators, and behavioral health providers.
SB 240 creates a new "Type IV" license for prekindergarten programs attached to public schools in Louisiana, exempting these centers from certain licensing requirements that apply to other early learning centers. Specifically, Type IV centers are exempt from mandatory criminal background checks for staff (per Section 407.42(A)(3)) and from employee training requirements on shaken baby syndrome (per Section 407.40(A)(7)). The bill also requires Type IV centers to be inspected by the Louisiana Department of Health under school regulations and mandates their representation on advisory councils and the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission. This affects school-based prekindergarten programs, ensuring they operate under streamlined rules while maintaining overall safety standards for all early learning centers.
HB 312 allocates $144 million in supplemental funding from the 2024-2025 state budget surplus to pay down existing pension obligations for Louisiana's state retirement systems. It directly affects retirees covered by the Louisiana School Employees' Retirement System, Louisiana State Police Retirement System, Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System, and Teachers' Retirement System. The bill uses specific dollar amounts ($4.8M, $1.8M, $60M, and $77.7M respectively) to cover unpaid pension liabilities for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, drawing solely from the state's surplus funds without new taxes or fees. This is a routine budget adjustment to fulfill existing financial commitments, not a new policy change.
SB 27 requires Louisiana schools to provide high-dosage tutoring to K-5 students who failed statewide reading/math assessments or scored below grade level in literacy/numeracy screenings. Schools must offer tutoring within 30 days of identification, using direct instruction aligned to grade-level content and formative assessments. Tutoring providers must use qualified tutors (with background checks and subject-specific training) using high-quality instructional materials focused on core grade-level skills. Schools must report student participation data to the state by June 30, with the Department of Education publishing annual reports by July 1. This applies directly to eligible students and school districts implementing the requirement.
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.
