The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Jeanne C. Johnston.
DIGEST
SB 151 Original 2019 Regular Session Luneau
Present law creates the Special School District (SSD) as an educational service agency administered
by the state Department of Education (DOE). Further provides that the SSD includes the Louisiana
special schools and Special School Programs.
Present law designates the Louisiana Schools for the Deaf and Visually Impaired and the Louisiana
Special Education Center (LESC) as special schools within the Special School District and provides
that these schools are residential schools established to provide academic, vocational, and other
related services as required.
Proposed law provides for the transfer of the Louisiana Special Education Center from the Special
School District to the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) and renames the center as the "Central
Louisiana Supports and Services Center."
Proposed law deletes references and provisions relative to the LESC from all applicable statutory
provisions and properly places the Central Louisiana Supports and Services Center within present
law.
Present law provides for an annual appropriation to the LESC from the Educational Excellence Fund.
Proposed law removes the center from these provisions.
With respect to the transfer of the Louisiana Special Education Center to the La. Dept. of Health,
proposed law provides as follows:
(1)The process to transfer the LESC to the LDH shall begin not later than August 1, 2019, and
conclude not later than January 31, 2020.
(2)Requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), DOE, and the
SSD to fully cooperate with the LDH and take every action necessary to efficiently and
expeditiously effect the transfer of the center.
(3)The assets, funds, facilities, property, equipment, books, documents, records, obligations,
programs, and functions relative to the LESC shall be transferred to the LDH on the effective
date of the transfer.
(4)Prior to the effective date of the transfer of the LESC, BESE, DOE, and the SSD shall not:
(a)Sell, transfer, or otherwise remove any asset or thing of value, movable or
immovable, tangible or intangible, attributable to or owned by center. (b)Incur, transfer, or assign and debt or other responsibility or obligation to the center
that is not properly attributable to the center.
(c)Reduce or reallocate the level of funding or support that would otherwise be allocated
to the center.
(d)Impose any budget reductions or changes in funding without the prior approval of the
Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.
(e)Take any personnel action with regard to any administrative, instructional or
noninstructional employee of the center without the approval of the LDH.
(5)The LDH, to the extent possible, shall provide for the transfer of LESC employees without
loss of status, salary, and related benefits.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:43, 46(A)(1)(c), 81.9(A)(1)(b), 240(A)(1), 348(A), 419.2(A), 421.4, 422.6(B), and
1945(B)(1), R.S. 28:451.4, R.S. 39:98.3(C)(2) and 362(F), and R.S. 49:121(E); adds R.S.
28:22.8(A)(4) and R.S. 36:259(C)(8); repeals R.S. 17:348(B))