SB 81 Louisiana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY: Provides for academic transparency and parental access to digital instructional materials and other educational materials in a manner that is free-of-charge. (8/1/25) (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)

SB 81 requires Louisiana public schools to provide parents with free access to instructional materials, including online resources and printed copies upon request. Schools must establish reasonable in-person viewing hours and may charge only reasonable fees for physical copies made using school equipment - no fees apply for online access or in-person viewing without copies. The bill limits free access to curricula adopted under state law and allows in-person viewing of nonsecure tests, but not digital copies of assessments. School boards must submit their access policies to the state education department by March 2026, with reports to the legislature on compliance. This directly affects parents of students in Louisiana public schools and school districts implementing these policies.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

Senate Passage

May 2025

House Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Apr 2, 2025 Signed Jun 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB81 Original → SB81 Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill expands parental rights by mandating free online access to instructional materials and clarifying that parents can make their own copies on school premises without fees. It also updates the definition of 'instructional materials' to include nonsecure tests and assessments, ensuring these are covered under the transparency rules.

Scope change

The scope of 'instructional materials' was broadened to explicitly include nonsecure tests, assessments, and answer keys, whereas previously these were not clearly defined as covered materials.

REQUIREMENT

Schools must now provide free online access to instructional materials upon parental request.

Parents are now permitted to make their own copies of materials on school premises using mobile devices without incurring fees.

Schools are required to submit a report to state committees by March 9, 2026, detailing compliance and fee schedules.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'instructional materials' was expanded to include nonsecure tests, assessments, and survey results.

Floor votes · Senate May 13, 2025 · House Jun 2, 2025

How they voted

36–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 37

May 13, 2025

D Democratic11

11 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican26

25 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 21, 2025

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (11-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

May 14, 2025

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Education.

lower

May 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

May 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Education.

upper

1 primary · 16 co-sponsors