Proposes significant changes to the state's educational assessment and accountability systems. The bill mandates that, starting in the 2026-2027 academic year, Louisiana's school and district accountability system will replace the current Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) with a nationally normed assessment. This shift aims to ensure that student evaluations are benchmarked against national standards.

To facilitate this transition, the bill establishes the Nationally Normed Assessment Task Force, comprising 22 members from various educational and governmental bodies. The task force's primary responsibility is to identify and recommend the most suitable nationally normed assessment for statewide implementation. Members include appointees from the governor, legislative leaders, educational associations, and teacher organizations, ensuring diverse representation from stakeholders in Louisiana's education system.

SENATE floor amendments [LINK] raise the licensing threshold to $50,000, clarify HUD standards for manufactured housing, allow CPA financial statements in lieu of signed forms, correct legal references, and move the compliance date to January 1, 2026.

SENATE committee amendments [LINK] clarify mold remediation training, define residential roofing as a construction subclass, move the compliance date to September, and require proof of insurance. They also ban contractors from interpreting insurance policies or adjusting claims and extend a response deadline from 60 to 90 days.

Revises licensing and regulation by the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors.

Key Provisions:

- Adds and clarifies contractor classifications, including residential roofing (effective Jan. 1, 2026), home improvement, mold remediation, and solar energy equipment.

- Sets board and subcommittee member term limits and allows removal for poor attendance or cause.

- Requires applicant background checks and establishes financial net-worth minimums ($50,000 for general licenses; $25,000 for home improvement, mold remediation, labor-only).

- Removes licensing exemption for state/political subdivisions.

- Strengthens enforcement on permitting, insurance requirements, recordkeeping, inspections, and written contracts.

- Establishes penalties for violations; unpaid fines may result in license denial or revocation.

Effective: August 1, 2025.

SENATE committee amendments [LINK] clarify terms and restrict facilities to LDH inspection and certification.

Defines "judicial agencies" under the Judicial Agency Referral Residential Facility Regulatory Act, clarifying rules for facilities providing treatment, housing, or temporary residence to individuals referred by judicial agencies (includes persons in temporary residential services awaiting trial or treatment facilities, residential drug or alcohol treatment, drug, mental health and veterans courts, supervised bail or house arrest, rehab/transitioning facilities).

Key Provisions: 

- Requires the Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C) to adopt rules, inspect, and certify compliance of facilities providing "treatment," in addition to housing or temporary residence, before judicial agency referrals can occur. 

- Expands definition of "judicial agency" to explicitly include sheriffs and sheriff departments, alongside district courts, district judges, prosecutors, and district attorneys. 

- Maintains prohibition against sheriff departments participating in work release programs or receiving state funding under this Chapter.

Effective August 1, 2025.

SENATE floor amendments technical

SENATE committee amendments [LINK] shift oversight of the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council from the board to the executive director of the State Licensing Board for Contractors. They reduce the council’s membership from 19 to 17, adjust membership requirements to include specific professional affiliations, and remove the state health officer from the council. The executive director is given authority over staffing and use of board funds for council operations.

Transfers the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council from the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to the State Licensing Board for Contractors. 

Key Provisions: 

- Council membership reduced from 20 to 19 members. 

- Revised membership composition to include licensed professionals from various construction-related fields and industry representatives. 

- Executive director of the State Licensing Board for Contractors will serve as executive director of the council (non-voting). 

- Council will meet bi-monthly in East Baton Rouge Parish. 

- Board may delegate council duties to staff. 

- Governor may remove members for cause or failure to attend meetings. 

Effective Date: August 1, 2025.

The key differences between SB 105 (original) and SB 246 (substitute) SB 105 initially proposed a mandatory immediate switch to nationally normed assessments and established a dedicated task force, while SB 246 softens this approach by retaining current LEAP tests (with adjustments), eliminating the task force, and instructing BESE to study and report on alternative testing options.

1. Assessment Type:

• SB 105 mandates replacing the current LEAP tests entirely with a nationally normed assessment beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.
• SB 246 retains LEAP assessments but modifies their administration schedule and instructs BESE to investigate (rather than mandate) using nationally normed or criterion-referenced tests.

1. Task Force vs. BESE Study:

• SB 105 creates a "Nationally Normed Assessment Task Force" to select the specific assessment to be used statewide.
• SB 246 removes the task force entirely and instead directs the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) itself to investigate potential nationally normed or criterion-referenced assessments and report findings to the legislature by February 6, 2026.

1. Social Studies Testing:

• SB 105 explicitly suspends social studies testing in grades four, six, and seven for the 2025-2026 school year.
• SB 246 does not suspend testing but reduces science and social studies testing to no more than four grade levels each beginning no later than 2027-2028 and requires these tests not occur in the same grades.

Breakdown for replacement bill SB246:

Modifies Louisiana's educational assessment program, specifically adjusting how often certain subjects are tested and requiring a study on alternative assessment options.

Key Provisions:

• Requires English language arts and mathematics assessments annually in grades 3-8 and at least once during grades 9-11.
• Starting in the 2027-2028 school year, limits science and social studies assessments to a maximum of four grade levels each, specifying they not be administered in the same grades.
• Requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to investigate the feasibility of using nationally normed or criterion-referenced assessments to satisfy federal accountability requirements. BESE must report findings and recommendations to legislative education committees by February 6, 2026.

Effective Date:

Upon signature by the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.

Breakdown for original bill SB105: [LINK]

Proposes significant changes to the state's educational assessment and accountability systems. The bill mandates that, starting in the 2026-2027 academic year, Louisiana's school and district accountability system will replace the current Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) with a nationally normed assessment. This shift aims to ensure that student evaluations are benchmarked against national standards.

To facilitate this transition, the bill establishes the Nationally Normed Assessment Task Force, comprising 22 members from various educational and governmental bodies. The task force's primary responsibility is to identify and recommend the most suitable nationally normed assessment for statewide implementation. Members include appointees from the governor, legislative leaders, educational associations, and teacher organizations, ensuring diverse representation from stakeholders in Louisiana's education system.

SENATE committee amendments [LINK] Require certification of a critical shortage and public notice before rehiring retired court reporters, and clarifies employer retirement contributions.

Implications: Fills court reporter shortages by incentivizing retirees to return without penalty, unlike current law (R.S. 11:1928), which limits hours and suspends benefits.

• Retirees: Extra income, no benefit loss.
• Employers: Staffing relief, added admin and costs.
• PERS: Protected by employer cost coverage

Enacts R.S. 11:1928.1, allowing court reporters aged 65+ who’ve been retired for 3+ years to return to full-time work in the Parochial Employees' Retirement System (PERS) without losing benefits, addressing critical shortages in parishes.

• Eligibility: Retirees 65+, retired 3+ years; excludes disability retirees.
• Employer Duties: Notify PERS within 10 days of hiring/termination; annual reports; certify shortage via 30-day ad.
• Cost: Employers pay extra actuarial costs to PERS.
• Effective Date: Upon governor’s signature or lapse of veto period.