The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Jeanne C. Johnston.
DIGEST
SB 283 Original 2015 Regular Session Cortez
Present law, as a prerequisite to high school graduation, requires students to complete two semesters
of instruction in Civics, including a section on Free Enterprise, equal to one unit of credit.
Present law provides that for students who enter the ninth grade on or after July 1, 2014,
Government, AP US Government and Politics: Comparative, or AP US Government and Politics:
United States may be substituted for Civics and shall satisfy the Civics and Free Enterprise
instruction required by present law.
Proposed law retains present law and additionally provides for the Louisiana Civics Education
Initiative as follows:
(1)Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year:
(a)The curriculum for Civics, and courses permitted to substitute for Civics, must
contain a unit of study that includes civics-related subject matter knowledge
naturalized citizens are required to demonstrate.
(b) As a means to inform civics-related curricula and instruction, every student enrolled
in Civics, or a course permitted to substitute for Civics, shall be administered a test
based upon the civics portion of the naturalization test used by the United States
Citizenship and Immigration Services to survey their knowledge of the fundamentals
of the history, principles, and form of the United States government.
(2)Requires the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to promulgate rules and
regulations to implement the provisions of proposed law.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:274.1(D))