HLS 25RS-566 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 142
BY REPRESENTATIVE MENA
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
BOARDS/COMMISSIONS: Provides relative to the Advisory Council on Historically
Black Colleges and Universities
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3138.7(B)(introductory paragraph) and (5) through (24) and
3 (D) and to enact R.S. 17:3138.7(B)(25) and (26) and (G)(1)(l), relative to the
4 Advisory Council on Historically Black Colleges and Universities; to provide for the
5 membership of the council; to provide for payment of certain expenses; to provide
6 for the duties of the council; and to provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:3138.7(B)(introductory paragraph) and (5) through (24) and (D)
9are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 17:3138.7(B)(25) and (26) and (G)(1)(l) are
10hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §3138.7. Advisory Council on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
12 * * *
13 B. The council shall be composed of twenty-four twenty-six members as
14 follows:
15 * * *
16 (5) The chancellor of Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical
17 College, or his designee.
18 (6) The chancellor of Southern University at New Orleans, or his designee.
19 (6) (7) The chancellor of Southern University at Shreveport, or his designee.
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HB NO. 142
1 (7) (8) The chancellor of the Southern University Law Center, or his
2 designee.
3 (8) (9) The chancellor of the Southern University Agricultural Research and
4 Extension Center, or his designee.
5 (9) (10) The president of Grambling State University, or his designee.
6 (10) (11) The president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary
7 Education, or his designee.
8 (11) (12) The secretary of Louisiana Economic Development, or his
9 designee.
10 (12) (13) The secretary of the Louisiana Workforce Commission, or his
11 designee.
12 (13) (14) The president of the Louisiana State Conference of the National
13 Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or his designee.
14 (14) (15) The president of the Urban League of Louisiana, or his designee.
15 (15) (16) The president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana,
16 or his designee.
17 (16) (17) The president of the Senate, or his designee.
18 (17) (18) The speaker of the House of Representatives, or his designee.
19 (18) (19) The chairman of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, or his
20 designee.
21 (19) (20) A member of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, appointed
22 by the chairman of the caucus. If the chairman of the caucus is a member of the
23 House of Representatives, the appointed member shall be a member of the Senate.
24 If the chairman of the caucus is a member of the Senate, the appointed member shall
25 be a member of the House of Representatives.
26 (20) (21) The president of Xavier University of Louisiana, or his designee.
27 (21) (22) The president of Dillard University, or his designee.
28 (22) (23) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, or his
29 designee.
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HB NO. 142
1 (23) (24) The chairman of the House Committee on Education, or his
2 designee.
3 (24) (25) A student serving as student body president of a public or private
4 HBCU in Louisiana, selected annually by the HBCU student body presidents.
5 (26) An at-large member appointed by the chairman of the council, who shall
6 serve for no more than two years.
7 * * *
8 D.(1) Members shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for
9 expenses as provided by the appointing authority.
10 (2) Notwithstanding Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the Board of Regents
11 may pay for travel and lodging expenses for attendance at council meetings for the
12 student member.
13 * * *
14 G. The council shall:
15 (1) Advise the commissioner of higher education regarding methods to
16 enhance the capabilities of HBCUs to serve the needs of their students and the state
17 and methods whereby the state can better serve HBCUs. The council shall also help
18 identify methods to:
19 * * *
20 (l) Share best practices regarding campus safety.
21 * * *
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 142 Original 2025 Regular Session Mena
Abstract: Provides relative to the Advisory Council on Historically Black Colleges and
Universities.
Present law provides for the Advisory Council on Historically Black Colleges and
Universities (HBCUs) and requires the council to advise the commissioner of higher
education and the Bd. of Regents regarding best practices for strengthening HBCUs.
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are additions. HLS 25RS-566 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 142
Proposed law increases the council's membership from 24 to 26 by adding the chancellor of
Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College and an at-large member
appointed by the chairman of the council.
Present law requires one member to be a student serving as student body president of an
HBCU in La. Proposed law authorizes the Bd. of Regents to pay for certain expenses for
such member.
Proposed law requires the council to help identify methods to share best practices regarding
campus safety.
(Amends R.S. 17:3138.7(B)(intro. para.) and (5)-(24) and (D); Adds R.S. 17:3138.7(B)(25)
and (26) and (G)(1)(l))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.