SLS 22RS-96 ENGROSSED 2022 Regular Session SENATE BILL NO. 94 BY SENATOR JACKSON SCHOOLS. Provides relative to instruction on child assault awareness and prevention in public schools. (gov sig) 1 AN ACT 2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:81(Y)(1) and (3) and to enact R.S. 17:7(16), relative to 3 instruction and posting of information in public schools regarding child assault 4 awareness and prevention; to provide for responsibilities of the State Board of 5 Elementary and Secondary Education and local public school governing authorities; 6 and to provide for related matters. 7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 8 Section 1. R.S. 17:81(Y)(1) and (3) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 9 17:7(16) is hereby enacted to read as follows: 10 §7. Duties, functions, and responsibilities of board 11 In addition to the authorities granted by R.S. 17:6 and any powers, duties, and 12 responsibilities vested by any other applicable laws, the board shall: 13 * * * 14 (16) By December 1, 2022, develop and adopt rules and regulations 15 requiring each public school governing authority to annually report to the state 16 Department of Education information relative to the instruction of students on 17 child assault and prevention as provided in R.S. 17:81(Y). At a minimum, the Page 1 of 3 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 94 SLS 22RS-96 ENGROSSED 1 rules and regulations shall include a requirement that the annual report 2 submitted by each public school governing authority include the following 3 information for each school under its jurisdiction: 4 (a) A grade-level listing of each course that includes instruction on child 5 assault awareness and prevention. 6 (b) The website location that prominently displays the number for the 7 child protection toll-free hotline operated by the Department of Children and 8 Family Services. 9 * * * 10 §81. General powers of local public school boards 11 A. * * * 12 Y.(1) The governing authority of each public elementary and secondary 13 school shall provide age- and grade-appropriate classroom instruction to all students 14 relative to child assault awareness and prevention. Such instruction shall be limited 15 to education on what constitutes abuse or an assault, and how students may safely 16 and confidentially report to a school official the circumstances surrounding any such 17 abuse or assaults, how students may report abuse or assault to the child 18 protection toll-free hotline operated by the state Department of Children and 19 Family Services, and where students may locate the number for the child 20 protection hotline on the school's website. 21 * * * 22 (3) The governing authority of each public school shall adopt rules and 23 regulations necessary for the implementation of this Subsection. Such rules and 24 regulations shall include a requirement that each public school under its jurisdiction 25 post in a prominent location on its website the number for the child protection 26 toll-free hotline operated by the Department of Children and Family Services to 27 receive reports of child abuse and neglect. 28 * * * 29 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not Page 2 of 3 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 94 SLS 22RS-96 ENGROSSED 1 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature 2 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If 3 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become 4 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 Cheryl Serrett. DIGEST SB 94 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session Jackson Present law provides for the duties and responsibilities of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Proposed law retains present law and further requires that by December 1, 2022, BESE shall develop and adopt rules and regulations requiring each public school governing authority to annually report to the Louisiana Department of Education information relative to child assault awareness and prevention instruction required by present law. Proposed law further requires that the annual report submitted by the public school governing authority include a grade-level listing of each course that includes instruction on child assault awareness and prevention, and the website location where each school prominently displays the number for the child protection toll-free hotline operated by state child protection. Present law requires the governing authority of each public elementary and secondary school to provide age- and grade-appropriate classroom instruction to all students relative to child assault awareness and prevention and to adopt rules and regulations regarding implementation of present law. Present law further requires the posting of the number for the state's child protection toll-free hotline on the website of each public school. Proposed law retains present law and further requires the instruction provided include information on how the student may report abuse or assault to the state's child protection toll-free hotline number, and where on the school's website that number can be found. Proposed law clarifies that the number for the state's child protection toll-free hotline posted on each school's website shall be in a prominent position. Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action. (Amends R.S. 17:81(Y)(1) and (3); adds R.S. 17:7(16)) Page 3 of 3 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions.