Proposes amendments to the R.E.A.D. (Reading Enrichment and Academic Deliverables) Program, aiming to broaden student eligibility and enhance resource distribution. Laurie Schlegel is a co-author so likely her bill.

Current Eligibility Criteria:

Under existing law, students qualify for the R.E.A.D. Program if they meet any of the following conditions:

1. Prekindergarten students who do not score satisfactorily on the literacy section of the early childhood assessment.
2. Kindergarten through third-grade students reading below grade level.
3. Fourth and fifth-grade students who scored below mastery in English Language Arts (ELA) on the prior school year's state assessment.
4. Students recommended by their ELA teacher when eligibility cannot be determined through screeners or assessments.

Proposed Changes:

House Bill No. 201 seeks to expand eligibility by including students enrolled in elementary schools that received a performance letter grade of "D" or "F" in the most recent school year, as per the school and district accountability system outlined in R.S. 17:10.1.

Implementation Details:

To support this expanded eligibility, the bill mandates the state Department of Education to:

• Ship books quarterly directly to the qualifying schools.
• Ensure these schools distribute the books, along with supplemental family literacy resources designed to support at-home reading engagement, to each student from prekindergarten through fifth grade.
• Determine the specific content and format of the family literacy resources.

By broadening the scope of the R.E.A.D. Program, the bill aims to provide additional support to students in underperforming schools, enhancing literacy development through increased access to reading materials and resources.

HOUSE floor amendments technical

HOUSE committee amendments technical

Proposes amendments to R.S. 17:87.6(C) concerning the disposal of individual computing devices by local public school boards. The key provisions of the bill are as follows:

1.    Authorization to Sell, Trade, or Engage in Buyback Programs:

The bill permits school boards to sell, trade, or participate in buyback programs for individual computing devices previously used by students, if these devices are no longer needed for school operations.

2.    Use of Proceeds:

Funds obtained from these transactions must be allocated specifically for the acquisition, maintenance, or enhancement of technology resources within the respective school or district. This marks a change from the current mandate, which directs such proceeds to the school board's general fund.

3.    Prioritization of Buyback Programs:

When considering disposal methods, school boards are encouraged to prioritize buyback programs with vendors, provided these programs offer financial or educational benefits that are equal to or greater than alternative methods.

4.    Data Security Requirements:

Before disposing of any device, school boards are required to securely erase all data pertaining to students, employees, and the school or district. This process must align with data security policies established by the state Department of Education and comply with relevant state and federal regulations.

Provide school boards with greater flexibility in managing outdated or surplus computing devices, ensuring that proceeds directly support technological advancements in education while maintaining stringent data security protocols.

HOUSE commerce committee amendments [LINK] require the appointed receiver to submit a detailed transition and operational plan within 90 days, clarify the types of enforceable legal actions covered, specify bonding requirements for private receivers and exempt local governments from bonding, and explicitly allow a receiver to purchase the company under receivership.

Proposes the enactment of R.S. 45:1206 to establish provisions for the court-appointed receivership of water and wastewater companies regulated by the commission. The bill defines "water company" and "wastewater company" and outlines specific conditions under which a court may appoint a receiver to manage such companies' assets and operations. These conditions include abandonment by the operator, cessation of services without arrangements for continued operation, non-compliance with administrative orders from the Louisiana Department of Health or the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, financial distress as determined by a commission audit, and other circumstances identified by commission rules. The appointed receiver is required to post a bond, unless they represent a local governmental subdivision, and must adhere to court directives until discharged. The bill also allows for the dissolution of the receivership if the original owner or operator demonstrates good cause.

HOUSE floor amendments [LINK] add enforcement authority, reporting requirements, and penalties for earned wage access providers. It authorizes the attorney general to enforce violations under the Unfair Trade Practices Act and prohibits providers from using false, misleading, or deceptive advertising. Providers must submit detailed annual reports to the Office of Financial Institutions by March 1 each year, including data on revenue, transaction volume, fees, and consumer complaints. The office must publish an aggregated public report by July 1. Providers who fail to submit the required report on time lose access to the protections of the law, and any agreements they make with consumers are declared null and void. The first report is due by March 1, 2027.

HOUSE committee amendments [LINK] require providers who charge fees for earned wage access to annually report detailed data to the Office of Financial Institutions. The required information includes the number of consumers served, types and averages of fees charged, transaction details, consumer complaints and resolutions, and compliance with no-cost access requirements. The Office of Financial Institutions must publish an annual aggregated report of this data.

Proposes the Louisiana Earned Wage Access Services Act. This legislation aims to regulate earned wage access (EWA) services, which allow consumers to access their earned but unpaid income.

The bill distinguishes between two types of EWA services:

1.    Consumer-Directed EWA Services: Where consumers access their earned income based on their representation and the provider's reasonable determination of the earned but unpaid income.

2.    Employer-Integrated EWA Services: Where access to earned income is based on data obtained directly or indirectly from an employer.

Key provisions of the bill include:

·       Definitions: Clarifies terms such as "consumer," "earned but unpaid income," "employer," and "provider."

·       Provider Obligations: Outlines the responsibilities and prohibitions for EWA service providers to ensure consumer protection.

·       Statutory Compliance: Specifies that providers must comply with the regulations set forth in this Act.

HOUSE bureau floor amendment technical

HOUSE floor amendment set 3109 [LINK] requires excavators or demolishers to submit a written incident report within 72 hours if underground utilities are damaged, including details such as the date, description of damage, actions taken, and photos if available. It also adds a new precaution: in areas identified as high-risk for underground utility congestion by the Office of Broadband Development or DOTD, excavators must review and use available utility mapping data before starting work.

HOUSE floor amendment set 3025 [LINK] clarifies and modifies the timeline requirements for compliance with utility damage prevention law. It replaces a reference to existing statute with specific deadlines: 20 calendar days for routine demolition or excavation, and 30 calendar days for agricultural, forestry, or marine-related excavation or demolition. It also makes minor wording and formatting changes for clarity and consistency.

HOUSE committee amendments [LINK] redefine "large project excavation or demolition" as a contiguous excavation or demolition activity that cannot reasonably meet standard completion timelines. They also clarify that weekends and holidays do not count toward the required mark-by-time period, giving excavators additional flexibility in timing.

ORIGINAL BILL:

Proposes amendments to the Louisiana Underground Utilities and Facilities Damage Prevention Law. The key provisions of this bill include:

1.    Definition of "Manual Probing": The bill introduces a definition for "manual probing," specifying it as the use of non-mechanized, commercially manufactured devices to locate underground utilities or facilities.

2.    Excavation and Demolition Notifications: It mandates that excavators or demolishers must notify the regional notification center at least 48 hours, but no more than 120 hours (excluding weekends and holidays), before commencing any excavation or demolition activities. Additionally, these activities should begin within 120 hours after the designated mark-by time. Failure to adhere to this timeframe, without mutual agreement for extension or extraordinary circumstances (such as weather events or equipment failures), will be considered a violation.

3.    Training Requirements: The bill requires that at least one individual on-site during excavation or demolition must have proof of completing training provided by the Regional Notification Center. This training must be renewed annually and is available online at no cost. However, individuals certified under certain federal operator qualification programs (specifically Title 49 CFR Parts 192 or 195) are exempt from this requirement.

4.    Large Project Excavations: For extensive excavation or demolition projects that cannot be reasonably completed within standard timeframes, the bill allows for written agreements between operators and excavators or demolishers to set specific mark-by times and project durations. If such an agreement isn't reached within 30 calendar days of submission to the Regional Notification Center, the initial large project notification becomes void. In such cases, the excavator or demolisher must cancel the large project notice and submit a routine excavation or demolition notice as per standard procedures.