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 · 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 · House May 29, 2026

HB 363: STUDENTS: Authorizes students enrolled in virtual schools to participate in public school activities

HB 363 allows students enrolled in virtual schools to join public school extracurricular activities and sports teams at their neighborhood school based on where they live. It requires schools to treat virtual students the same as in-person students for tryouts, eligibility, and participation standards like grades and conduct. The bill prohibits schools from excluding virtual students from activities solely due to their enrollment type and bans participation in athletic associations that deny such students eligibility. This directly affects virtual school students in Louisiana and the public schools they reside near.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands educational access by requiring equal participation in activities for virtual students, removing enrollment-based barriers per bill language.90% 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

passed both · Louisiana · House May 26, 2026

HCR 26: STUDENT/STANDARDS: Requests that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education incorporate the science of human growth and development into content standards and to provide curriculum and instructional materials on its website

This bill requests the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to update science and health education standards to include the science of human growth and development, specifically covering prenatal growth and fetal development. It asks the board to provide age-appropriate instructional materials, such as high-definition ultrasound videos or computer-generated animations, on its website to support teaching these topics. The resolution also requires the board to submit a written report to state education committees by March 1, 2027, detailing any actions taken in response to these requests. This is a non-binding concurrent resolution that urges the board to consider these changes rather than mandating them.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enhances science education by requiring inclusion of human growth and development in standards, expanding curriculum content and providing instructional materials for teachers.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

Track

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