GREEN SHEET REDIGEST
HB 819 2022 Regular Session Cox
SCHOOLS/EMPLOYEES: Provides relative to extended sick leave for school bus
operators and public school employees.
DIGEST
Present law requires public school boards to permit teachers, school bus operators, and other
school board employees to take up to 90 days of extended sick leave in each six-year period
of employment for a medical necessity when the person has no remaining regular sick leave
balance. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law requires public school boards to grant leaves of absence to regularly employed
women teachers for a reasonable time before and after the birth of a child and to teachers
after the legal adoption of a child.
Present law additionally requires school boards to permit a teacher who has been granted
maternity leave pursuant to present law and who has no remaining extended sick leave
balance to take up to 30 days of additional extended sick leave in each six-year period of
employment for personal illness relating to pregnancy, illness of an infant, or for required
medical visits certified by a physician as relating to infant or maternal health.
Proposed law provides that the extended maternal and infant health leave available to
teachers who have been granted maternity leave may also be made available to any school
bus operator and any other school board employee who is not a teacher.
Present law provides that all decisions relative to the granting of sabbatical leave to a teacher
shall be made by the superintendent of the local public school system.
Proposed law retains present law and allows the applicant to appeal a denial to the school
board. Requires the appeal to be in writing to the board president. At the next scheduled
school board meeting following the receipt of the appeal, requires the school board to
consider whether to conduct a full hearing. Requires the board to notify the applicant and the
superintendent of its decision within five work-days and, if the appeal will be heard, to set
a date for the hearing. If the school board hears the appeal, requires the board to maintain a
transcript of the proceedings, make a written recommendation for disposition of the appeal,
and provide a copy of the decision and the transcript to the applicant and superintendent
within five work-days.
(Amends R.S. 17:500.2(A)(1) and (2)(c) and (d) and (E)(1), 1176(B), and 1206.2(A)(1) and
(2)(c) and (d) and (E)(1)(a); Adds R.S. 17:500.2(A)(2)(e) and 1206.2(A)(2)(e))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Authorize, instead of require, that extended maternal and infant health leave be
made available to school bus operators and other school board employees.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
reengrossed bill
1. Allow an appeal to the school board from a denial of an application for sabbatical
leave. Authorize the board to hear the appeal. Require the school board to
provide notice of whether the board will hear the appeal. Provide procedural
requirements for the appeal, if it is heard.
Page 1 of 1
Prepared by LG Sullivan.