SLS 21RS-2388 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 243
BY SENATOR JACKSON
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Requests the state Department of Education to study the
provision of duty-free lunch periods to public school teachers.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To urge and request the state Department of Education to conduct a study regarding the
3 number of public school systems that provide duty-free lunch periods to teachers
4 who are actively engaged in the instruction and supervision of students and the
5 method by which the systems provide the duty-free lunch periods.
6 WHEREAS, R.S. 17:434 requires each public school system to provide each teacher
7 who is actively engaged in the instruction and supervision of students a duty-free lunch
8 period and a duty-free planning period; and
9 WHEREAS, R.S. 17:434 predicates the requirement to provide duty-free lunch and
10 planning periods on the appropriation of state funds; and
11 WHEREAS, since the enactment of the law in 1988, state funding has not been
12 appropriated for the duty-free lunch and planning periods; and
13 WHEREAS, the vast majority of our teachers work an eight-hour day without an
14 uninterrupted break to eat or use the restroom; and
15 WHEREAS, these working conditions may place a toll on the health of our teachers;
16 and
17 WHEREAS, some school districts have prioritized the health and well-being of their
18 teachers by granting duty-free lunch and planning periods, even without specific state
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SLS 21RS-2388 ORIGINAL
1 funding being provided; and
2 WHEREAS, information relative to the number of school systems that offer duty-free
3 lunch periods, the method by which those districts utilize personnel to provide the duty-free
4 lunch periods, and the costs borne by the systems for offering the lunch periods may assist
5 other systems in providing duty-free lunch periods for their teachers.
6 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
7 does hereby urge and request the state Department of Education to conduct a study regarding
8 the number of public school systems that provide duty-free lunch periods to teachers who
9 are actively engaged in the instruction and supervision of students and the method by which
10 the systems provide the duty-free lunch periods.
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall submit a report of any
12 findings and conclusions to the Senate Committee on Education not later than sixty days
13 prior to the beginning of the 2022 Regular Session of the Legislature.
14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
15 state superintendent of education.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Cheryl Serrett.
DIGEST
SR 243 Original 2021 Regular Session Jackson
Requests the state Department of Education to conduct a study regarding the number of
public school systems that provide duty-free lunch periods to teachers who are actively
engaged in the instruction and supervision of students and the method by which the systems
provide the duty-free lunch periods, and to submit a report of any findings and conclusions
to the Senate Committee on Education not later than sixty days prior to the beginning of the
2022 Regular Session of the Legislature.
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