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2023 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 258
BY REPRESENTATIVES WRIGHT, AMEDEE, BRASS, FREIBERG, PHELPS, ST.
BLANC, AND TARVER
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
HIGHER EDUCATION: Establishes a state maritime academy within the University of
Louisiana System
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3217, relative to the University of Louisiana System; to
3 establish a state maritime academy under the supervision and management of the
4 system's board of supervisors; to provide for the purposes and programs of the
5 academy; to provide for the hiring of an executive director; to authorize the
6 executive director to establish an advisory board; to provide relative to federal
7 funding; and to provide for related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 17:3217 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
10 ยง3217. University of Louisiana System
11 A. The University of Louisiana System is composed of the institutions under
12 the supervision and management of the Board of Supervisors for the University of
13 Louisiana System, referred to in this Section as the board of supervisors or the board,
14 as follows:
15 (1) Grambling State University at Grambling.
16 (2) Louisiana Tech University at Ruston.
17 (3) McNeese State University at Lake Charles.
18 (4) Nicholls State University at Thibodaux.
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HB NO. 258
1 (5) Northwestern State University of Louisiana at Natchitoches.
2 (6) Southeastern Louisiana University at Hammond.
3 (7) The University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
4 (8) The University of Louisiana at Monroe.
5 (9) The University of New Orleans.
6 (10) Any other college, university, school, institution or program now or
7 hereafter under the supervision and management of the Board of Supervisors for the
8 University of Louisiana System. board of supervisors.
9 B.(1) A state maritime academy, the Universities of Louisiana Maritime
10 Academy, is hereby established for the purposes of leveraging and coordinating
11 existing maritime programs and facilities, providing for the training of merchant
12 marine officers, and providing for additional educational pathways aligned with the
13 workforce needs of the maritime industry.
14 (2) Subject to the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Board of
15 Regents under Article VIII, Section 5(D) of the Constitution of Louisiana,
16 specifically the authority to approve, disapprove, or modify a proposed degree
17 program, department of instruction, division, or similar subdivision, the academy
18 shall be under the supervision and management of the board of supervisors and shall
19 be headed by an executive director hired by the system president.
20 (3) The training programs offered through the academy may operate across
21 multiple institutions within the system. The programs shall be developed in a
22 manner that makes maximum use of existing state and local resources, including
23 programs, facilities, and faculty, through cooperative service agreements and
24 contracts with other public education institutions' maritime programs such as those
25 housed in the Louisiana Community Technical College System and elementary and
26 secondary training programs recognized by the Maritime Administration of the
27 United States Department of Transportation.
28 (4) The board of supervisors is the designated legal state entity to qualify the
29 academy and its training programs for federal assistance and to receive and expend
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HB NO. 258
1 funds under the provisions of the Maritime Academy Act of 1958 (P.L 85-672) and
2 any applicable rules, regulations, and laws.
3 (5) The executive director of the academy may establish an advisory board
4 for the purpose of making recommendations relative to the establishment and
5 operations of the academy.
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 258 Engrossed 2023 Regular Session Wright
Abstract: Establishes a state maritime academy within the University of La. System.
Present law provides for the University of La. System, composed of the postsecondary
education institutions under the supervision and management of the system's board of
supervisors.
Proposed law:
(1)Establishes, subject to the constitutional powers, duties, and responsibilities of the
Bd. of Regents, a state maritime academy under the supervision and management of
the board of supervisors for the following purposes:
(a)Coordinating existing maritime programs and facilities.
(b)Training merchant marine officers.
(c)Providing additional educational pathways aligned with the workforce needs
of the maritime industry.
(2)Provides for the system president to hire an executive director, who may establish
an advisory board for the purpose of making recommendations relative to the
academy's establishment and operations.
(3)Provides that the academy's training programs:
(a)May operate across multiple institutions under the supervision of the board.
(b)Shall be developed in a manner that makes maximum use of existing state
and local resources through agreements and contracts with other institutions
and training programs.
Proposed law provides that the board of supervisors is the designated legal state entity to
qualify the academy and its training programs for federal assistance and to receive and
expend funds under federal law.
(Amends R.S. 17:3217)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
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HB NO. 258
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the
original bill:
1. Add that establishment of maritime academy is subject to the constitutional
powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Bd. of Regents.
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