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2018 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 401
BY SENATOR MIZELL AND REPRESENTATIVE WHITE
SCHOOLS. Creates a commission to study the feasibility of consolidating the Washington
Parish and Bogalusa City school systems. (gov sig)
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 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 17:1381 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 ยง1381. Washington Parish and Bogalusa City school systems; consolidation
12 study commission; creation; membership; duties and
13 responsibilities
14 A. The Bogalusa/Washington School System Consolidation Commission
15 is hereby created for the purpose of studying the feasibility of consolidating the
16 Bogalusa City School System and the Washington Parish School System.
17 B. The commission shall consist of the following members:
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1 (1) The president of the Bogalusa City School Board.
2 (2) The superintendent of the Bogalusa City School System.
3 (3) The president of the Washington Parish School Board.
4 (4) The superintendent of the Washington Parish School System.
5 (5) The mayor of the City of Bogalusa.
6 (6) The mayor of the City of Franklinton.
7 (7) The president of Washington Parish, or his designee.
8 (8) The president of the Bogalusa Chamber of Commerce or his
9 designee, who shall be a member of the chamber.
10 (9) The president of the Franklinton Chamber of Commerce or his
11 designee, who shall be a member of the chamber.
12 (10) One parent of a child enrolled in a school in the Bogalusa City
13 School System, appointed by the president of the Bogalusa City School Board.
14 (11) One parent of a child enrolled in a school in the Washington Parish
15 School System, appointed by the president of the Washington Parish School
16 Board.
17 (12) Three parents who have a child enrolled in a public school in either
18 the Bogalusa City School System or the Washington Parish School System, one
19 appointed by the state representative who represents House District No. 75, one
20 appointed by the state representative who represents House District No. 74, and
21 one appointed by the state senator who represents Senate District No. 12.
22 (13) One teacher who teaches at a school in the Bogalusa City School
23 System or the Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana
24 Federation of Teachers.
25 (14) One teacher who teaches at a school in the Bogalusa City School
26 System or the Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana
27 Association of Educators.
28 (15) One principal of a school in the Bogalusa City School System or the
29 Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana Association of
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1 Principals.
2 (16) One member of the clergy who resides within the geographic
3 boundaries of the Bogalusa City School System, appointed by the Help Center
4 of Churches.
5 (17) One member of the clergy who resides within the geographic
6 boundaries of the Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Help
7 Center of Churches.
8 (18) The state representative who represents House District No. 75.
9 (19) The state representative who represents House District No. 74.
10 (20) The state senator who represents Senate District No. 12.
11 (21) The director of finance for the Bogalusa City School Board.
12 (22) The director of finance for the Washington Parish School Board.
13 C. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation or a
14 per diem for their services or attendance at commission meetings.
15 D. The members of the commission shall elect such officers and create
16 such subcommittees as they deem necessary to fulfill the commission's duties
17 and responsibilities.
18 E.(1) The president of the Bogalusa City School Board and the president
19 of the Washington Parish School Board shall jointly call the first meeting, which
20 shall be held no later than September 1, 2018. The commission shall meet at
21 least monthly, but additional meetings may be called by the chairman or upon
22 request of a majority of the members of the commission.
23 (2)(a) All meetings of the commission shall be held in accordance with
24 the Open Meetings Law and official minutes and records of all meetings shall
25 be kept.
26 (b) All documents and proceedings of the commission shall be posted on
27 the website of the Bogalusa City School System and the Washington Parish
28 School System.
29 (3) A majority of the membership of the commission shall constitute a
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1 quorum for the transaction of business.
2 F. The commission shall be domiciled in Franklinton, Louisiana, but the
3 meeting site shall alternate between the City of Bogalusa and the City of
4 Franklinton.
5 G. The Bogalusa City School System and the Washington Parish School
6 System shall provide staff support and resources to the commission.
7 H. The commission shall:
8 (1) Determine the feasibility of consolidating the Bogalusa City School
9 System and the Washington Parish School System, thereby creating a unified
10 school district, the geographic boundaries of which shall be coterminous with
11 the geographic boundaries of Washington Parish.
12 (2) If the commission determines that consolidating the two school
13 systems is in the best interest of the students in each respective school system
14 and the parish as a whole, the commission shall formulate a plan and timeline
15 to effect the consolidation. Such plan, at a minimum, shall provide for:
16 (a) Passage of a resolution by each school board calling for an election
17 to gain voter approval of the consolidation in accordance with Article VIII,
18 Section 10(C) of the Constitution of Louisiana and R.S. 17:1379.
19 (b) The establishment and composition of a school board for the
20 consolidated school system, including the election and qualification of members
21 and apportionment of the districts of board members, all in accordance with
22 applicable state law.
23 (c) The establishment and membership of an interim school board to
24 ensure a coordinated, collaborative, and seamless transition of governance and
25 provision of educational services to all students until a new school board is
26 created and elected.
27 (d) Contracts, agreements, or memoranda of understanding that might
28 be needed to effect the consolidation.
29 (e) Any federal court order, judgement, or consent decree in effect.
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1 (f) Policies and processes to address:
2 (i) Governance and administration of the school system and schools.
3 (ii) Financial matters, including existing tax structure, taxing districts,
4 bond issues, and debt, and the creation of a budget for the consolidated school
5 system.
6 (iii) Transfer of buildings, facilities, and movable and immovable
7 property owned by each respective school system.
8 (iv) Number of schools and grade distribution within the schools.
9 (v) Curriculum and instruction.
10 (vi) Student enrollment.
11 (vii) Student transportation.
12 (viii) Teachers and other school personnel.
13 (ix) Data management.
14 (x) Any other issues or considerations identified by the commission.
15 I.(1) The commission shall submit a written report of its findings,
16 conclusions, and recommendations to the Bogalusa City School Board and the
17 Washington Parish School Board not later than August 31, 2019.
18 (2) Prior to adoption of the final report, the commission shall hold a
19 public hearing on its findings, recommendations, and plans developed for
20 consolidating the two school systems. The commission shall publish public
21 notice of the meeting in a newspaper with parish-wide circulation at least
22 twenty days prior to the hearing and a copy of the report shall be made
23 available for public inspection prior to the hearing.
24 (3) The final report shall be posted on the website of both school systems
25 in a manner that provides easy access to the report by parents and the public.
26 J. The commission shall terminate on September 1, 2019.
27 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
28 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
29 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
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1 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
2 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument was prepared by Jeanne Johnston. The following
digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was
prepared by Tammy Crain-Waldrop.
DIGEST
SB 401 Reengrossed 2018 Regular Session Mizell
Present constitution (Art. 8. Sec. 10(C)) provides that two or more school systems may be
consolidated as provided by law.
Present law (R.S. 17:1379) provides that an election shall be called for the purpose of
consolidating two or more school systems in accordance with Art. 8, Section 10(C) of the
Constitution of Louisiana, pursuant to an Act of the legislature or a resolution adopted by
each of the affected school boards. Further provides that any such consolidation is subject
to approval by a majority of the electors voting, in each affected school system, in the
election held for this purpose.
Proposed law creates the Bogalusa/Washington Parish School System Consolidation
Commission to study the feasibility of consolidating the Bogalusa City School System and
the Washington Parish School System. Further provides that the commission shall consist
of 24 members as follows:
(1)The president of the Bogalusa City School Board.
(2)The superintendent of the Bogalusa City School System.
(3)The president of the Washington Parish School Board.
(4)The superintendent of the Washington Parish School System.
(5)The mayor of the City of Bogalusa.
(6)The mayor of the City of Franklinton.
(7)The president of Washington Parish, or his designee.
(8)The president of the Bogalusa Chamber of Commerce or his designee, who shall be
a member of the chamber.
(9)The president of the Franklinton Chamber of Commerce or his designee, who shall
be a member of the chamber.
(10)One parent of a child enrolled in a school in the Bogalusa City School System,
appointed by the president of the Bogalusa City School Board.
(11)One parent of a child enrolled in a school in the Washington Parish School System,
appointed by the president of the Washington Parish School Board.
(12)Three parents who have a child enrolled in a public school in either the Bogalusa
City School System or the Washington Parish School System, one appointed by the
state representative who represents House District No. 75, one appointed by the state
representative who represents House District No. 74, and one appointed by the state
senator who represents Senate District No. 12.
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(13)One teacher who teaches at a school in the Bogalusa City School System or the
Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana Federation of
Teachers.
(14) One teacher who teaches at a school in the Bogalusa City School System or the
Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana Association of
Educators.
(15)One principal of a school in the Bogalusa City School System or the Washington
Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana Association of Principals.
(16)One minister who resides within the geographic boundaries of the Bogalusa City
School System, appointed by the Help Center of Churches.
(17)One minister who resides within the geographic boundaries of the Washington Parish
School System, appointed by the Help Center of Churches.
(18)The state representative who represents House District No. 75.
(19)The state representative who represents House District No. 74.
(20)The state senator who represents Senate District No. 12.
(21)The director of finance for the Bogalusa City School Board.
(22)The director of finance for the Washington Parish School Board.
With respect to the commission, proposed law provides that:
(1)Members shall serve without compensation or a per diem.
(2)Members shall elect officers and create subcommittees as deemed necessary.
(3)The presidents of the Bogalusa City and Washington Parish school systems shall
jointly call the first meeting of the commission by Sept. 1, 2018.
(4)The commission shall meet monthly, but may hold additional meetings upon the call
of the chair or request of a majority of commission members.
(5)Commission meetings shall be held in accordance with the Open Meetings Law.
(6)All documents and proceedings of the commission shall be posted on each school
system's website.
(7)A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum.
(8)The commission shall be domiciled in Franklinton, LA but the meeting site shall
alternate between the City of Bogalusa and the City of Franklinton.
(9)Each school system shall provide staff support and resources to the commission.
Proposed law provides that the commission shall determine the feasibility of consolidating
the Bogalusa City School System and the Washington Parish School System with geographic
boundaries coterminous with the geographic boundaries of Washington Parish.
Proposed law provides that if the commission determines that consolidating the two school
systems is in the best interest of the students in each school system and the parish as a whole,
the commission shall formulate a plan and timeline to effect the consolidation.
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Proposed law provides that the plan to consolidate the two school systems shall, at a
minimum, provide for:
(1)Passage of a resolution by each school board calling for an election to gain voter
approval of the consolidation in accordance with applicable constitutional and
statutory provisions.
(2)Establishment and composition of a school board for the consolidated school system,
including the election and qualification of members and apportionment of the
districts of board members.
(3)Establishment and membership of an interim school board to govern the system until
a new school board is created and elected.
(4) Contracts, agreements, or memoranda of understanding needed to effect the
consolidation.
(5) Any federal court order, judgment, or consent decree in effect.
(6)Policies and processes to address:
(a)Governance and administration of the school system and schools.
(b)Financial matters, including existing tax structure, taxing districts, bond
issues, debt, and the creation of a budget for the consolidated school system.
(c)Transfer of buildings, facilities, and movable and immovable property owned
by each respective school system.
(d)Number of schools and grade distribution within the schools.
(e)Curriculum and instruction.
(f)Student enrollment.
(g)Student transportation.
(h)Teachers and other school personnel.
(i)Data management.
(j)Any other issues or considerations identified by the commission.
Proposed law requires the commission to submit a written report of its findings, conclusions,
and recommendations to the Bogalusa City School Board and the Washington Parish School
Board not later than August 31, 2019.
Proposed law requires the commission to hold a public hearing on its findings,
recommendations, and plans developed for consolidating the two school systems, prior to
adoption of the final report.
Proposed law provides that the final report shall be posted on the website of both school
systems in a manner that provides easy access to the report by parents and the public.
Proposed law provides that the commission shall terminate on September 1, 2019.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
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(Adds R.S. 17:1381)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Senate Floor Amendments to engrossed bill
1. Adds clarifying language from minister to member of the clergy.
2. Adds two members to the commission, the directors of finance for Bogalusa
City and Washington Parish school boards.
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