2018 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 401
BY SENATOR MIZELL AND REPRESENTATIVE WHITE
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:
18 (1) The president of the Bogalusa City School Board.
19 (2)The superintendent of the Bogalusa City School System.
20 (3) The president of the Washington Parish School Board.
21 (4) The superintendent of the Washington Parish School System.
22 (5) The mayor of the city of Bogalusa.
23 (6) The mayor of the city of Franklinton.
24 (7) The president of Washington Parish, or his designee.
25 (8) The president of the Bogalusa Chamber of Commerce or his designee,
26 who shall be a member of the chamber.
ACT No. 413
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1 (9) The president of the Franklinton Chamber of Commerce or his
2 designee, who shall be a member of the chamber.
3 (10) One parent of a child enrolled in a school in the Bogalusa City
4 School System, appointed by the president of the Bogalusa City School Board.
5 (11) One parent of a child enrolled in a school in the Washington Parish
6 School System, appointed by the president of the Washington Parish School
7 Board.
8 (12) Three parents who have a child enrolled in a public school in either
9 the Bogalusa City School System or the Washington Parish School System, one
10 appointed by the state representative who represents House District No. 75, one
11 appointed by the state representative who represents House District No. 74, and
12 one appointed by the state senator who represents Senate District No. 12.
13 (13) One teacher who teaches at a school in the Bogalusa City School
14 System or the Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana
15 Federation of Teachers.
16 (14) One teacher who teaches at a school in the Bogalusa City School
17 System or the Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana
18 Association of Educators.
19 (15) One principal of a school in the Bogalusa City School System or the
20 Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Louisiana Association of
21 Principals.
22 (16) One member of the clergy who resides within the geographic
23 boundaries of the Bogalusa City School System, appointed by the Help Center
24 of Churches.
25 (17) One member of the clergy who resides within the geographic
26 boundaries of the Washington Parish School System, appointed by the Help
27 Center of Churches.
28 (18) The state representative who represents House District No. 75.
29 (19) The state representative who represents House District No. 74.
30 (20) The state senator who represents Senate District No. 12.
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1 (21) The director of finance for the Bogalusa City School Board.
2 (22) The director of finance for the Washington Parish School Board.
3 C. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation or a per
4 diem for their services or attendance at commission meetings.
5 D. The members of the commission shall elect such officers and create
6 such subcommittees as they deem necessary to fulfill the commission's duties
7 and responsibilities.
8 E.(1) The president of the Bogalusa City School Board and the president
9 of the Washington Parish School Board shall jointly call the first meeting, which
10 shall be held no later than September 1, 2018. The commission shall meet at
11 least monthly, but additional meetings may be called by the chairman or upon
12 request of a majority of the members of the commission.
13 (2)(a) All meetings of the commission shall be held in accordance with
14 the Open Meetings Law and official minutes and records of all meetings shall
15 be kept.
16 (b) All documents and proceedings of the commission shall be posted on
17 the website of the Bogalusa City School System and the Washington Parish
18 School 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
23 Franklinton.
24 G. The Bogalusa City School System and the Washington Parish School
25 System shall provide staff support and resources to the commission.
26 H. The commission shall:
27 (1) Determine the feasibility of consolidating the Bogalusa City School
28 System and the Washington Parish School System, thereby creating a unified
29 school district, the geographic boundaries of which shall be coterminous with
30 the geographic boundaries of Washington Parish.
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1 (2) If the commission determines that consolidating the two school
2 systems is in the best interest of the students in each respective school system
3 and the parish as a whole, the commission shall formulate a plan and timeline
4 to effect the consolidation. Such plan, at a minimum, shall provide for:
5 (a) Passage of a resolution by each school board calling for an election
6 to gain voter approval of the consolidation in accordance with Article VIII,
7 Section 10(C) of the Constitution of Louisiana and R.S. 17:1379.
8 (b) The establishment and composition of a school board for the
9 consolidated school system, including the election and qualification of members
10 and apportionment of the districts of board members, all in accordance with
11 applicable state law.
12 (c) The establishment and membership of an interim school board to
13 ensure a coordinated, collaborative, and seamless transition of governance and
14 provision of educational services to all students until a new school board is
15 created and elected.
16 (d) Contracts, agreements, or memoranda of understanding that might
17 be needed to effect the consolidation.
18 (e) Any federal court order, judgment, or consent decree in effect.
19 (f) Policies and processes to address:
20 (i) Governance and administration of the school system and schools.
21 (ii) Financial matters, including existing tax structure, taxing districts,
22 bond issues, and debt, and the creation of a budget for the consolidated school
23 system.
24 (iii) Transfer of buildings, facilities, and movable and immovable
25 property owned by each respective school system.
26 (iv) Number of schools and grade distribution within the schools.
27 (v) Curriculum and instruction.
28 (vi) Student enrollment.
29 (vii) Student transportation.
30 (viii) Teachers and other school personnel.
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1 (ix) Data management.
2 (x) Any other issues or considerations identified by the commission.
3 I.(1) The commission shall submit a written report of its findings,
4 conclusions, and recommendations to the Bogalusa City School Board and the
5 Washington Parish School Board not later than August 31, 2019.
6 (2) Prior to adoption of the final report, the commission shall hold a
7 public hearing on its findings, recommendations, and plans developed for
8 consolidating the two school systems. The commission shall publish public
9 notice of the meeting in a newspaper with parishwide circulation at least twenty
10 days prior to the hearing and a copy of the report shall be made available for
11 public inspection prior to the hearing.
12 (3) The final report shall be posted on the website of both school systems
13 in a manner that provides easy access to the report by parents and the public.
14 J. The commission shall terminate on September 1, 2019.
15 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
16 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
17 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
18 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
19 effective on the day following such approval.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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