HLS 24RS-1615 ENGROSSED
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 846
BY REPRESENTATIVES KNOX, ADAMS, DEWITT, FISHER, FREEMAN, FREIBERG,
LAFLEUR, AND ZERINGUE
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.
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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 or name of grant.
11 (e) Service provided.
12 (f) Population served.
13 (g) Area served.
14 (h) Demographic data, including the number of individuals with disabilities.
15 (3) This Subsection shall not apply to the state Department of Education.
16 B.(1) The state Department of Education, hereinafter referred to in this
17 Section as the "department", shall submit a report in accordance with the provisions
18 of this Subsection to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, hereinafter
19 referred to in this Subsection as "committee", regarding federal and state funding
20 allocated to providing mental health services within the department and schools
21 across the state, including traditional public schools, charter schools, and any
22 nonpublic school receiving such funding.
23 (2) The department shall create and update annually the Mental Health
24 Funding Transparency in Elementary and Secondary Education Report. The
25 department shall submit the report to the committee no later than the first meeting
26 of the committee after January 1
st
of each year. The information shall be on a form
27 as prescribed by the department and approved by the committee. The report shall
28 provide the funds spent by the governing authority of each traditional public school,
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HB NO. 846
1 charter school, and nonpublic school, as applicable, for providing mental health
2 services and shall include, at a minimum, the following:
3 (a) Budget unit.
4 (b) School governing authority.
5 (c) Program description.
6 (d) Means of finance.
7 (e) Funding source or name of grant.
8 (f) Service provided.
9 (g) Demographic data, including the number of individuals with disabilities.
10 (h) 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 Engrossed 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
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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)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the
original bill:
1. Add additional categories for which the division of administration and the state
Dept. of Education shall report.
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