HLS 24RS-1615 ORIGINAL 2024 Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO. 846 BY REPRESENTATIVE KNOX FISCAL CONTROLS: Provides relative to reporting on federal and state funding of mental health services 1 AN ACT 2To enact R.S. 39:82.3, relative to the reporting of federal and state funds allocated to 3 providing mental health services; to provide relative to funds allocated to providing 4 mental health services across state agencies and school systems; to require reporting 5 by the division of administration; to require reporting by the state Department of 6 Education; to provide for specific reports to the Joint Legislative Committee on the 7 Budget; to provide relative to the authority of the Joint Legislative Committee on the 8 Budget; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters. 9Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 10 Section 1. R.S. 39:82.3 is hereby enacted to read as follows: 11 ยง82.3. Reporting on federal and state funds allocated to mental health services 12 A.(1) The division of administration, hereinafter referred to in this Section 13 as the "division", shall submit a report in accordance with the provisions of this 14 Subsection to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, hereinafter referred to 15 in this Subsection as "committee", regarding federal and state funding allocated to 16 providing mental health services across all state agencies. The report shall provide 17 information needed by policy makers to make informed decisions about mental 18 health services provided across the state of Louisiana. Page 1 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 24RS-1615 ORIGINAL HB NO. 846 1 (2) The division shall create and update annually the Mental Health Funding 2 Transparency Report. The division shall submit the report to the committee no later 3 than the first meeting of the committee after January 1 st of each year. The 4 information shall be provided on a form as prescribed by the division and approved 5 by the committee. The report shall provide the funds spent by each state agency for 6 providing mental health services and shall include, at a minimum, the following: 7 (a) Budget unit. 8 (b) Program description. 9 (c) Means of finance. 10 (d) Funding source. 11 (e) Service provided. 12 (f) Population served. 13 (g) Area served. 14 (3) This Subsection shall not apply to the state Department of Education. 15 B.(1) The state Department of Education, hereinafter referred to in this 16 Section as the "department", shall submit a report in accordance with the provisions 17 of this Subsection to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, hereinafter 18 referred to in this Subsection as "committee", regarding federal and state funding 19 allocated to providing mental health services within the department and schools 20 across the state, including traditional public schools, charter schools, and any 21 nonpublic school receiving such funding. 22 (2) The department shall create and update annually the Mental Health 23 Funding Transparency in Elementary and Secondary Education Report. The 24 department shall submit the report to the committee no later than the first meeting 25 of the committee after January 1 st of each year. The information shall be on a form 26 as prescribed by the department and approved by the committee. The report shall 27 provide the funds spent by the governing authority of each traditional public school, 28 charter school, and nonpublic school, as applicable, for providing mental health 29 services and shall include, at a minimum, the following: Page 2 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 24RS-1615 ORIGINAL HB NO. 846 1 (a) Budget unit. 2 (b) School governing authority. 3 (c) Name of school. 4 (d) Program description. 5 (e) Means of finance. 6 (f) Funding source. 7 (g) Service provided. 8 (h) Population served. 9 (i) Areas served. 10 (j) Grade level served. 11 (3) The department shall also submit a copy of the report to the House 12 Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education at the time the 13 report is submitted to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget. 14 C. The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget may make such studies 15 and hold such hearings as it shall deem appropriate and necessary to review the 16 allocation of funds as provided in the reports required pursuant to this Section. 17 Section 2. This Act shall become effective July 1, 2024. 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 846 Original 2024 Regular Session Knox Abstract: Requires reporting on funding for mental health services across state agencies and schools. Proposed law provides for the division of administration (division) to submit information to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget (JLCB) regarding federal and state funding allocated to providing mental health services across state agencies (except for the Dept. of Education). Provides for the division to create the Mental Health Funding Transparency Report and to update the report annually. Requires the report to be submitted to JLCB no later than the committee's first meeting after Jan. 1st of each year. Further provides for the form of the report to be prescribed by the division and approved by JLCB. Proposed law provides for the state Dept. of Education (department) to submit information to JLCB regarding federal and state funding allocated to providing mental health services in schools. Provides for the department to create the Mental Health Funding Transparency in Elementary and Secondary Education Report and to update the report annually. Requires Page 3 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 24RS-1615 ORIGINAL HB NO. 846 the report to be submitted to JLCB no later than the committee's first meeting after Jan. 1st of each year. Further provides for the form of the report to be prescribed by the division and approved by JLCB. Also requires the report to be submitted to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education. Proposed law authorizes JLCB to make studies and hearings to review the allocation of funds as provided in the reports. Effective July 1, 2024. (Adds R.S. 39:82.3) Page 4 of 4 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.