HB 256 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

SCHOOLS/EMPLOYEES: Provides that school employees are subject to existing requirements pertaining to mandatory reporters, including certain training provided by the Department of Children and Family Services

HB 256 clarifies that school employees, including those in charter schools, must follow existing mandatory reporter laws. It directly affects teachers, staff, and other school employees who are already required to report suspected child abuse under Louisiana law. The bill amends two statutes to ensure school employees comply with training and reporting requirements previously mandated for child care providers, removing any ambiguity about charter schools being exempt. This creates a consistent policy requiring all school employees to complete Department of Children and Family Services training and report suspected abuse.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
Jun 2026
Introduced Feb 23, 2026 Signed Jun 2, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB256 Original HB256 Act 631 · 3 edits
MINOR
This bill updates the list of sponsors for HB 256 and formally enrolls the legislation as Act No. 631. The substantive content regarding mandatory reporter training requirements for school employees remains unchanged, retaining the existing mandate that these employees complete annual training provided by the Department of Children and Family Services.
Scope change
The bill's scope of applicability to school employees and mandatory reporter requirements is unchanged; the only scope-related change is the addition of multiple co-sponsors to the bill.
TECHNICAL

Added Representatives Bayham, Carver, Chassion, Edmonston, Freiberg, Knox, Lafleur, Lyons, Martinez, Moore, Murray, Schlegel, Taylor, Thompson, and Walters to the list of bill sponsors.

Changed the document status from 'ORIGINAL' to 'ENROLLED' and updated the act number to 'ACT No. 631', indicating the bill has been finalized and signed into law.

Replaced the House Legislative Services digest with the standard signatures of the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, and Governor, signifying the bill's final approval.

Floor votes · Senate May 25, 2026 · House Mar 30, 2026

How they voted

370
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 40
May 25, 2026
D Democratic12
11 Yea 1
91% Yea
R Republican28
26 Yea 2
92% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
20
Key actions
4
Committee
5
May 25, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
May 19, 2026
Committee
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
May 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
Mar 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 99, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
Mar 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably (14-0).
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Education.
lower
Feb 23, 2026
Committee
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Education.
lower
1 primary · 15 co-sponsors

Sponsors