HLS 24RS-371 REENGROSSED
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 137
BY REPRESENTATIVE BRASS
CHILDREN: Provides relative to the Children's Cabinet Advisory Board
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 46:2602(B) and 2605(A) and (B)(7), (11), (13) through (16),
3 (19), and (29) and to enact R.S. 46:2605(B)(42) and (G), relative to the Children's
4 Cabinet and the Children's Cabinet Advisory Board; to provide for membership of
5 the cabinet; to provide for membership of the board; to provide for duties of the
6 board; to authorize the board to establish subcommittees; and to provide for related
7 matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 46:2602(B) and 2605(A) and (B)(7), (11), (13) through (16), (19),
10and (29) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 46:2605(B)(42) and (G) are hereby
11enacted to read as follows:
12 §2602. Children's Cabinet; creation; purpose
13 * * *
14 B. The cabinet shall be composed of the following members:
15 (1) The secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services or his
16 designee.
17 (2) The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health or his designee.
18 (3) The deputy secretary for youth services of the Department of Public
19 Safety and Corrections or his designee.
20 (4) The secretary of the Louisiana Workforce Commission or his designee.
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HB NO. 137
1 (5) The state superintendent of education or his designee.
2 (6) The commissioner of administration or his designee.
3 (7) The executive director of the cabinet, to be determined by the governor,
4 or his designee who shall serve as chairperson.
5 (8) A member of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of
6 the House of Representatives or his designee.
7 (9) A member of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate or his
8 designee.
9 (10) A representative of the Children's Cabinet Advisory Board as selected
10 by its members or his designee.
11 (11) A member of the Louisiana Council of Juvenile and Family Court
12 Judges appointed by the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court or his
13 designee.
14 (12) A member of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
15 appointed by its president or his designee.
16 (13) The secretary of the Department of Economic Development or his
17 designee.
18 * * *
19 §2605. Children's Cabinet Advisory Board
20 A. The Children's Cabinet Advisory Board, hereinafter referred to as the
21 "advisory board", is hereby created. The purpose of the advisory board shall be to
22 provide information and recommendations from the perspective of advocacy groups,
23 service providers, and parents. Primary responsibilities of the Children's Cabinet
24 Advisory Board are:
25 (1) To ensure information sharing between governmental and
26 nongovernmental entities serving Louisiana's children.
27 (2) To make recommendations to the Children's Cabinet, through the
28 executive director, as requested by the Cabinet.
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HB NO. 137
1 (3) To make recommendations to the Children's Cabinet, through the
2 executive director, as necessary as determined by the advisory board.
3 (4) To make recommendations to the Children's Cabinet, through the
4 executive director, as to the budget priorities for the coming year and specific budget
5 items to be supported in the Children's Budget by September thirtieth. by August
6 thirty-first.
7 (5) To make recommendations to the Children's Cabinet, through the
8 executive director, as to specific budget items to be supported in the Children's
9 Budget by November thirtieth.
10 (6) To make recommendations to the Children's Cabinet, through the
11 executive director, as to specific programs with the greatest potential for reducing
12 child poverty and funding opportunities for the implementation of such programs.
13 (7) (6) To make an annual report to the legislature, the Senate Committee on
14 Health and Welfare, the House Committee on Health and Welfare, the Select
15 Committee on Women and Children, and any other legislative committee requesting
16 a copy of the annual report by January thirty-first. The report shall summarize the
17 well-being of Louisiana's children, the accomplishments of the past year, and
18 specific goals and priorities for the next fiscal year.
19 B. The advisory board shall be composed of the following members:
20 * * *
21 (7) The director of the State Head Start Collaboration Project or his designee.
22 * * *
23 (11) The assistant secretary of child welfare of the Department of Children
24 and Family Services or his designee.
25 * * *
26 (13) The assistant secretary of the office for citizens with developmental
27 disabilities of the Louisiana Department of Health or his designee.
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1 (14) The assistant secretary of the office of public health of the Louisiana
2 Department of Health or his designee.
3 (15) The assistant secretary of the office of behavioral health of the
4 Louisiana Department of Health or his designee.
5 (16) The director of the bureau of health services financing of the Louisiana
6 Department of Health or his designee.
7 * * *
8 (19) The assistant secretary of the office of juvenile justice of the
9 Department of Public Safety and Corrections or his designee.
10 * * *
11 (29) State child ombudsman, who shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio
12 member. A representative of the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations.
13 * * *
14 (42) A representative of the Louisiana Occupational Therapy Association.
15 * * *
16 G. The advisory board may establish subcommittees that include but are not
17 limited to an Ezekiel's Law subcommittee.
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 137 Reengrossed 2024 Regular Session Brass
Abstract: Provides for changes to the organization, reporting requirements, membership,
and authority of the Children's Cabinet Advisory Board (board). Provides for
changes of the membership of the Children's Cabinet (cabinet).
Present law directs the board to make recommendations to the cabinet as to budget priorities
for the coming year by Aug. 31 annually.
Present law directs the board to make recommendations to the cabinet as to specific budget
items to be supported in the Children's Budget by Nov. 30 annually.
Proposed law combines the board's recommendations to the cabinet as to budget priorities
and specific budget items into one recommendation required to be submitted annually by
Sept. 30.
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Proposed law adds the state child ombudsman as a nonvoting ex officio member of the
board.
Proposed law repeals board membership for a representative of the La. Assoc. of Nonprofit
Organizations.
Proposed law permits the board to establish subcommittees including an Ezekiel's Law
subcommittee.
Proposed law adds a representative of the La. Occupational Therapy Association.
Proposed law grants the following board members the option to appoint a designee:
(1)The director of the State Head Start Collaboration Project.
(2)The assistant secretary of child welfare of the Dept. of Children and Family Services.
(3)The assistant secretary of the office of citizens with developmental disabilities of the
La. Dept. of Health (LDH).
(4)The assistant secretary of the office of public health of LDH.
(5)The assistant secretary of the office of behavioral health of LDH.
(6)The assistant secretary of the bureau of health services financing of LDH.
(7)The assistant secretary of the office of juvenile justice of the Dept. of Public Safety
and Corrections.
Proposed law grants the following cabinet members the option to appoint a designee:
(1)The secretary of the Dept. of Children and Family Services.
(2)The secretary of the La. Dept. of Health.
(3)The deputy secretary for youth services of the Dept. of Public Safety and
Corrections.
(4)The secretary of the La. Workforce Commission.
(5)The state superintendent of education.
(6)The commissioner of administration.
(7)The executive director of the cabinet.
(8)A member of the House appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
(9)A member of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate.
(10)A representative of the Children's Cabinet Advisory Board as selected by its
members.
(11)A member of the La. Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges appointed by the
chief justice of the La. Sup. Ct.
(12)A member of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education appointed by
its president.
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HB NO. 137
(Amends R.S. 46:2602(B) and 2605(A) and (B)(7), (11), (13)-(16), (19), and (29); Adds R.S.
46:2605(B)(42) and (G))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to
the original bill:
1. Add that the state ombudsman is a nonvoting ex officio member of the Children's
Cabinet Advisory Board.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Add that the members of the Children's Cabinet may designate an individual to
be a member of the cabinet in their stead.
2. Add a representative of the La. Occupational Therapy Association to the
Children's Cabinet Advisory Board.
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