ENROLLED
ACT No. 332
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 663
BY REPRESENTATIVE WHITE AND SENATOR MIZELL
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:1381, relative to the consolidation of school systems; to create a
3 commission to study the feasibility of consolidating the Bogalusa City and
4 Washington Parish school systems; to provide for the membership, meetings, and
5 duties and responsibilities of the commission; to provide for reporting; to provide for
6 a public hearing; to provide for termination of the commission; and to provide for
7 related matters.
8 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published
9 as provided by Article III, Section 13 of the Constitution of
10 Louisiana.
11 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
12 Section 1. R.S. 17:1381 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
13 ยง1381. Washington Parish and Bogalusa City school systems; consolidation study
14 commission; creation; membership; duties and responsibilities
15 A. The Bogalusa/Washington School System Consolidation Commission is
16 hereby created for the purpose of studying the feasibility of consolidating the
17 Bogalusa City School System and the Washington Parish School System.
18 B. The commission shall consist of the following members:
19 (1) The president of the Bogalusa City School Board.
20 (2) The superintendent of the Bogalusa City School System.
21 (3) The president of the Washington Parish School Board.
22 (4) The superintendent of the Washington Parish School System.
23 (5) The mayor of the City of Bogalusa.
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1 (6) The mayor of the City of Franklinton.
2 (7) The president of Washington Parish, or his designee.
3 (8) The president of the Bogalusa Chamber of Commerce or his designee,
4 who shall be a member of the chamber.
5 ` (9) The president of the Franklinton Chamber of Commerce or his designee,
6 who shall be a member of the chamber.
7 (10) One parent of a child enrolled in a school in the Bogalusa City School
8 System, appointed by the president of the Bogalusa City School Board.
9 (11) One parent of a child enrolled in a school in the Washington Parish
10 School System, appointed by the president of the Washington Parish School Board.
11 (12) Three parents who have a child enrolled in a public school in either the
12 Bogalusa City School System or the Washington Parish School System, one
13 appointed by the state representative who represents House District No. 75, one
14 appointed by the state representative who represents House District No. 74, and one
15 appointed by the state senator who represents Senate District No. 12.
16 (13) One teacher who teaches at a school in the Bogalusa City School System
17 or the Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana Federation of
18 Teachers.
19 (14) One teacher who teaches at a school in the Bogalusa City School
20 System or the Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana
21 Association of Educators.
22 (15) One principal of a school in the Bogalusa City School System or the
23 Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana Association of
24 Principals.
25 (16) One member of the clergy who resides within the geographic boundaries
26 of the Bogalusa City School System, appointed by the Help Center of Churches.
27 (17) One member of the clergy who resides within the geographic boundaries
28 of the Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Help Center of Churches.
29 (18) The state representative who represents House District No. 75.
30 (19) The state representative who represents House District No. 74.
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1 (20) The state senator who represents Senate District No. 12.
2 (21) The director of finance for the Bogalusa City School Board.
3 (22) The director of finance for the Washington Parish School Board.
4 C. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation or a per
5 diem for their services or attendance at commission meetings.
6 D. The members of the commission shall elect such officers and create such
7 subcommittees as they deem necessary to fulfill the commission's duties and
8 responsibilities.
9 E.(1) The president of the Bogalusa City School Board and the president of
10 the Washington Parish School Board shall jointly call the first meeting, which shall
11 be held no later than September 1, 2018. The commission shall meet at least
12 monthly, but additional meetings may be called by the chairman or upon request of
13 a majority of the members of the commission.
14 (2)(a) All meetings of the commission shall be held in accordance with the
15 Open Meetings Law, and official minutes and records of all meetings shall be kept.
16 (b) All documents and proceedings of the commission shall be posted on the
17 website of the Bogalusa City School System and the Washington Parish School
18 System.
19 (3) A majority of the membership of the commission shall constitute a
20 quorum for the transaction of business.
21 F. The commission shall be domiciled in Franklinton, Louisiana, but the
22 meeting site shall alternate between the City of Bogalusa and the City of Franklinton.
23 G. The Bogalusa City School System and the Washington Parish School
24 System shall provide staff support and resources to the commission.
25 H. The commission shall:
26 (1) Determine the feasibility of consolidating the Bogalusa City School
27 System and the Washington Parish School System, thereby creating a unified school
28 district, the geographic boundaries of which shall be coterminous with the
29 geographic boundaries of Washington Parish.
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1 (2) If the commission determines that consolidating the two school systems
2 is in the best interest of the students in each respective school system and the parish
3 as a whole, the commission shall formulate a plan and time line to effect the
4 consolidation. Such plan, at a minimum, shall provide for:
5 (a) Passage of a resolution by each school board calling for an election to
6 gain voter approval of the consolidation in accordance with Article VIII, Section
7 10(C) of the Constitution of Louisiana and R.S. 17:1379.
8 (b) The establishment and composition of a school board for the consolidated
9 school system, including the election and qualification of members and
10 apportionment of the districts of board members, all in accordance with applicable
11 state law.
12 (c) The establishment and membership of an interim school board to ensure
13 a coordinated, collaborative, and seamless transition of governance and provision of
14 educational services to all students until a new school board is created and elected.
15 (d) Contracts, agreements, or memoranda of understanding that might be
16 needed to effect the consolidation.
17 (e) Any federal court order, judgement, or consent decree in effect.
18 (f) Policies and processes to address:
19 (i) Governance and administration of the school system and schools.
20 (ii) Financial matters, including existing tax structure, taxing districts, bond
21 issues, and debt, and the creation of a budget for the consolidated school system.
22 (iii) Transfer of buildings, facilities, and moveable and immoveable property
23 owned by each respective school system.
24 (iv) Number of schools and grade distribution within the schools.
25 (v) Curriculum and instruction.
26 (vi) Student enrollment.
27 (vii) Student transportation.
28 (viii) Teachers and other school personnel.
29 (ix) Data management.
30 (x) Any other issues or considerations identified by the commission.
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1 I.(1) The commission shall submit a written report of its findings,
2 conclusions, and recommendations to the Bogalusa City School Board and the
3 Washington Parish School Board not later than August 31, 2019.
4 (2) Prior to adoption of the final report, the commission shall hold a public
5 hearing on its findings, recommendations, and plans developed for consolidating the
6 two school systems. The commission shall publish public notice of the meeting in
7 a newspaper with parish-wide circulation at least twenty days prior to the hearing
8 and a copy of the report shall be made available for public inspection prior to the
9 hearing.
10 (3) The final report shall be posted on the website of both school systems in
11 a manner that provides easy access to the report by parents and the public.
12 J. The commission shall terminate on September 1, 2019.
13 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
14 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
15 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
16 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
17 effective on the day following such approval.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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