SLS 19RS-322 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 158
BY SENATOR DONAHUE
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
SPECIAL EDUCATION. Requires public school governing authorities to establish local
special education advisory councils. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:1944.1, relative to special education; to require each public school
3 governing authority to create a special education advisory council; to provide relative
4 to council membership and duties; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 17:1944.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 ยง1944.1. Local special education advisory councils; creation; purpose
8 A. Not later than January 1, 2020, each public school governing
9 authority shall create a special education advisory council to provide advice and
10 feedback regarding special education policies, procedures, and resources. The
11 council shall also engage in outreach activities to the community at large to
12 increase the level of knowledge, support, and collaboration with respect to
13 special education.
14 B.(1)The number of council members shall be determined by the public
15 school governing authority. However, at least sixty percent of the council's
16 membership shall be composed of parents of students with an exceptionality,
17 other than gifted and talented.
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 158
SLS 19RS-322 ORIGINAL
1 (2)(a) Each school governing authority shall seek applications for council
2 membership from parents of students with an exceptionality other than gifted
3 and talented, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, and other stakeholders.
4 (b) In selecting council members, an effort shall be made to include
5 parents of students in all grade levels.
6 C. Each special education advisory council shall meet at least quarterly
7 and shall make a report to the superintendent and the school governing
8 authority in January and August of each year regarding its activities.
9 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
10 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
11 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
12 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
13 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jeanne C. Johnston.
DIGEST
SB 158 Original 2019 Regular Session Donahue
Proposed law requires each public school governing authority to establish a special
education advisory council to provide advice and feedback regarding special education
policies, procedures, and resources and engage in community outreach, as follows:
(1)Each council must be created not later than January 1, 2020.
(2)The number of members shall be determined by the school governing authority but
at least 60% of the membership must be parents of students with an exceptionality,
other than gifted and talented.
(3)Each school governing authority shall seek applications for council membership
from parents of students with an exceptionality, teachers, principals,
paraprofessionals, and other stakeholders. In selecting council members, an effort
shall be made to include parents of students in all grade levels.
(4)Each special education advisory council shall meet at least quarterly and shall make
a report to the superintendent and the school governing authority in January and
August of each year regarding its activities.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:1944.1)
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.