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 353 Original 2023 Regular Session Marcelle
Abstract: Provides relative to student behavior, discipline, and behavioral and mental health.
Present law provides for exemptions from compulsory school attendance, including when children
are mentally, physically, or emotionally incapacitated to perform school duties as certified in writing.
Proposed law adds that a student may be absent for up to three days in any school year related to the
student's mental or behavioral health, that such absences shall not require a certification in writing
in order to be excused, that the child may make up missed school work, and that the child shall be
referred to school support personnel following the second day of absence.
Present law provides for the Advisory Council on Student Behavior and Discipline to have 29
members and specifies the particular membership. Proposed law removes the specific membership
and instead provides that the council shall have a maximum of 29 members, including the state
superintendent or his designee, and grants him discretion in appointing and removing the remaining
members.
Present law requires instruction on mental health and lists the minimum information to be included.
Proposed law adds the difference between mental and physical health and the management of stress
and anxiety to the list.
Present law requires instruction on eating disorders. Proposed law requires that this instruction
include providing the website and phone number of at least one national organization specializing
in eating disorders for adolescents and requires public school governing authorities to also post this
information on their websites.
Present law provides for youth suicide prevention programs, including informing students of
available community youth suicide prevention services. Proposed law requires school systems to
post this information on their websites.
Present law requires the governing authority of each public and approved nonpublic secondary
school that issues student identification cards to have printed on the cards the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline hotline number and, if available, a local suicide prevention hotline number.
Proposed law adds that each public and approved nonpublic school shall post this information on
its website.
Present law requires school boards to establish substance abuse prevention programs. Proposed law
adds that the programs shall include providing the website and phone number of at least one national organization specializing in substance abuse for adolescents and that school boards shall also post
this contact information on their websites.
Present law provides generally relative to student discipline, including that a principal may suspend
a student who is guilty of "willful disobedience". Proposed law defines this term for purposes of
present law and requires public school governing authorities to incorporate proposed law into their
student codes of conduct and inform students and parents of proposed law. Requires the state Dept.
of Education (DOE) to develop a behavior incidence checklist that each governing authority shall
use to document the details of each incidence of willful disobedience. Requires each governing
authority to report all such documented incidences of willful disobedience to the department.
Requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to adopt rules for proposed law
implementation.
Present law provides for in-service training for school employees on adverse childhood experiences
(known as ACEs). Proposed law requires DOE to develop and administer a pilot program for the
purpose of implementing ACEs screening, to select three school systems to participate in the
program, and consult with experts in the fields of mental health, behavioral health, and
trauma-informed restorative services in developing and administering the program.
Present law requires the office of public health (OPH) to establish an adolescent school health
initiative to facilitate and encourage development of comprehensive health centers in public middle
and high schools and provides certain requirements for OPH with respect to this initiative. Proposed
law additionally requires OPH to require such school health centers to register with OPH.
(Amends R.S. 17:226(A)(1), 253(B)(intro. para.) and (2) and (C), 271.1(B)(2), 280.1(A),
282.4(C)(1)(d) and (F), and 404(A); Adds R.S. 17:271.1(B)(5), 416(A)(2)(g), 416.22, and 437.2(F)
and R.S. 40:31.3(B)(6); Repeals R.S. 17:253(B)(3)-(25))