HLS 21RS-579 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 95
BY REPRESENTATIVE HODGES
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
HIGHER EDUCATION: Requires each public postsecondary education institution to create
a policy discussion program on campus
1 AN ACT
2To enact Part XV of Chapter 26 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be
3 comprised of R.S. 17:3399.41, relative to public postsecondary education; to require
4 the chief executive officer of each public postsecondary education institution to
5 create a public policy discussion program on campus; to provide for the assignment
6 of duties relative to such program; and to provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. The provisions of this Act shall be known and may be cited as the
9"Campus Intellectual Diversity Act".
10 Section 2. Part XV of Chapter 26 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
111950, comprised of R.S. 17:3399.41, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 PART XV. CAMPUS INTELLECTUAL DIVERSITY
13 ยง3399.41. Intellectual diversity programs
14 The chief executive officer of each public postsecondary education institution
15 shall create an intellectual diversity program on campus. In creating the program,
16 he shall task members of his office staff with the following duties:
17 (1) Organizing, publicizing, and staging debates, group forums, and
18 individual lectures that address, from multiple, divergent, and opposing perspectives,
19 an extensive range of public policy issues. For purposes of this Section, these
20 debates, forums, and lectures shall be referred to as public policy events.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 21RS-579 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 95
1 (2) Inviting speakers who hold a wide range of perspectives from within and
2 outside the campus community to participate in public policy events with particular
3 attention to inviting speakers from outside the institution who can articulate
4 perspectives on widely debated public policy issues.
5 (3) Maintaining a searchable calendar of public policy events on the
6 institution's website.
7 (4) If funding is available:
8 (a) Providing transportation and lodging expenses to speakers when the
9 speakers are from outside the campus community.
10 (b) Publishing a video recording of each public policy event on the
11 institution's website, which shall be accessible for not less than five consecutive
12 years following the date of the event recorded.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 95 Original 2021 Regular Session Hodges
Abstract: Requires the establishment of a public policy discussion program on each public
college campus.
Proposed law requires the chief executive officer of each public postsecondary education
institution to create an intellectual diversity program on campus. In creating such a program,
he shall task members of his office staff with the following duties:
(1)Organizing debates, forums, and lectures that address an extensive range of public
policy issues widely discussed and debated (known as public policy events).
(2)Inviting speakers who hold a wide range of perspectives to participate in public
policy events with attention to inviting speakers from outside the institution who can
provide perspectives on issues.
(3)Maintaining a searchable calendar of such events on the institution's website.
(4)If funding is available:
(a)Providing transportation and lodging expenses to speakers from outside the
campus community.
(b)Publishing a recording of each event on the institution's website, which shall
be accessible for not less than five consecutive years.
(Adds R.S. 17:3399.41)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.