HLS 15RS-128 REENGROSSED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 373
BY REPRESENTATIVES GEYMANN, ADAMS, BILLIOT, BROADWATER, BROWN,
BURFORD, HENRY BURNS, TIM BURNS, CARMODY, CARTER, CONNICK,
COX, DANAHAY, GISCLAIR, GUINN, HARRIS, HARRISON, HAVARD,
HAZEL, HENSGENS, HILL, HOFFMANN, HOWARD, IVEY, JACKSON, MIKE
JOHNSON, KLECKLEY, LORUSSO, MIGUEZ, JAY MORRIS, JIM MORRIS,
ORTEGO, PEARSON, POPE, PYLANT, REYNOLDS, RICHARD, SCHRODER,
SEABAUGH, SHADOIN, SMITH, ST. GERMAIN, STOKES, WHITNEY,
PATRICK WILLIAMS, AND WILLMOTT
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
STUDENT/STANDARDS: Provides for the implementation of state content standards for
public school students subject to legislative approval
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:24.4(E), relative to state content standards; to provide for the
3 review, development, and implementation of state content standards; to require that
4 the standards be promulgated by rule in accordance with the Administrative
5 Procedure Act prior to implementation; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 17:24.4(E) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
8 ยง24.4. Louisiana Competency-Based Education Program; statewide standards for
9 required subjects; Louisiana Educational Assessment Program; parish or city
10 school board comprehensive pupil progression plans; waivers
11 * * *
12 E.(1) The state Department of Education, with the approval of the State
13 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, shall develop and establish statewide
14 state content standards for required subjects to be taught in the public elementary and
15 secondary schools of this state. State content standards for English language arts and
16 mathematics shall be reviewed and developed as provided in Paragraph (3) of this
17 Subsection.
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HB NO. 373
1 (2) The statewide state content standards for required subjects shall be
2 implemented by the state Department of Education as approved by the State Board
3 of Elementary and Secondary Education, with recommendations prior to approval
4 and advice from the educational personnel in the public schools and colleges and
5 universities of this state.
6 (3) State content standards for English language arts and mathematics shall
7 be reviewed and developed as follows:
8 (a) Not later than July 1, 2015, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary
9 Education shall begin reviewing and developing state content standards in English
10 language arts and mathematics.
11 (b) The board shall hold at least one meeting for such purpose in each
12 Louisiana congressional district.
13 (c) The board shall submit the minutes from each meeting held pursuant to
14 this Paragraph to each member of the legislature not later than thirty days after the
15 meeting.
16 (d) All meetings held by the board for the review and development of the
17 standards shall be subject to the Open Meetings Law.
18 (e) The board shall post the standards on its website not later than February
19 21, 2016, and shall adopt the standards not later than March 4, 2016.
20 (f) The board shall promulgate the standards in accordance with the
21 Administrative Procedure Act prior to implementation of the standards.
22 (4) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the
23 Senate each shall appoint one member from his respective house to serve as a liaison
24 to attend the meetings held pursuant to Paragraph (3) of this Subsection. Each
25 liaison shall report to the speaker or the president, as applicable, on the status of the
26 review and development of the standards as provided in this Subsection.
27 (5) If, pursuant to R.S. 49:970, the governor suspends or vetoes the rules
28 promulgated by the board for the standards as required in Subparagraph (3)(f) of this
29 Subsection, the board shall undertake a review of the standards and make any
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HB NO. 373
1 necessary revisions and shall commence without delay the process for the
2 promulgation of rules for the revised standards. The legislative liaisons appointed
3 pursuant to Paragraph (4) of this Subsection shall report to the speaker or the
4 president, as applicable, the specific time lines and actions taken by the board in
5 commencing the process for the promulgation of rules for the revised standards.
6 (2) (6) The governing authority of each public elementary and secondary
7 school may develop and implement curriculum, content, and methodology for
8 required subjects for the schools under its jurisdiction in lieu of the curriculum,
9 content, and methodology recommended by the state Department of Education or the
10 State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
11 * * *
12 Section 2. This Act shall take effect and become operative if the Acts which
13originated as House Bill No. 542 and Senate Bill No. 43 of this 2015 Regular Session of the
14Legislature are enacted and become effective.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 373 Reengrossed 2015 Regular Session Geymann
Abstract: Provides for the review, development, and implementation of state content
standards for public school students.
Present law requires the state Dept. of Education to develop, with the approval of the State
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), statewide content standards for
required subjects for public elementary and secondary schools. Requires implementation
of the standards by the department as approved by BESE, with recommendations prior to
approval and advice from the educational personnel in the public schools and colleges and
universities of this state.
Proposed law requires BESE to develop the standards instead of the department with BESE
approval. Further provides relative to the review, development, and implementation of state
content standards in English language arts and math as follows:
(1)Requires BESE to begin reviewing and developing state content standards in English
language arts and math by July 1, 2015.
(2)Requires BESE to hold at least one meeting for the standards' review and
development in each La. congressional district.
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HB NO. 373
(3)Requires BESE to submit the minutes from each meeting to each member of the
legislature not later than 30 days after the meeting.
(4)Provides that all such meetings are subject to the Open Meetings Law.
(5)Requires BESE to post the standards on its website by Feb. 21, 2016, and to adopt
the standards by March 4, 2016.
(6)Requires BESE to promulgate the standards in accordance with the Administrative
Procedure Act prior to implementation.
(7)Requires the speaker of the House and the president of the Senate each to appoint
one member to serve as a liaison to attend the meetings held pursuant to proposed
law and requires each liaison to report on the status of the review and development
of the standards and the specific time lines and actions taken by BESE in
commencing the process for the promulgation of rules for the revised standards if the
governor suspends or vetoes the rules.
(8)Provides that if the governor suspends or vetoes the rules promulgated by BESE for
the standards, the board shall undertake a review of the standards and make any
necessary revisions and shall commence without delay the promulgation of rules for
the revised standards.
Proposed law otherwise retains present law.
Provides that proposed law is effective if House Bill No. 542 and Senate Bill No. 43 of the
2015 R.S. become effective.
(Amends R.S. 17:24.4(E))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the
original bill:
1. Require BESE to develop the state content standards instead of the department
with BESE approval.
2. Add provisions for the review, development, and implementation of state content
standards in English language arts and math by BESE including requirements for
meetings, rules, submission of minutes, and the posting and adoption of the
standards. Also add requirement that the speaker of the House and the president
of the Senate each to appoint a liaison to attend the meetings.
3. Add provisions relative to the suspension or veto of the standards by the
governor.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Add requirement that the legislative liaisons report time lines and actions taken
by BESE in the process for the promulgation of revised standards after a veto or
suspension of the initial standards.
2. Add House Bill No. 542 to contingency effectiveness provision.
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