Louisiana Speech-Language-Hearing Association

The following is a list of  bills and resolutions which passed during the 2008 Regular Session

                 HB 1 - FANNIN Provides for the ordinary operating expenses of state government. 

                Contains the $5,000 salary supplement for school SLP’s and Aud’s.  Enrolled and sent to the Governor.

                SCR 1 - BUTCH GAUTREAUX Authorizes the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana to grant a cost of living increase from the employee experience account.

                Enrolled.

            SCR 5 - QUINN Designates October of each year as Cochlear Implant Awareness Month.

                Enrolled.                 

            HCR 69 – WILLIAMS Requests the House Committee on Health and Welfare and the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare to function as a joint committee to study autism spectrum disorders.

                Enrolled and filed with the Secretary of State.

            HCR 77 - MORRIS Requests BESE to study the National Board Certification processes for teachers and school counselors; includes authorization for BESE to also look at school psychologists, social workers, and speech-language pathologists and audiologists who also have national certification. 

                Enrolled and filed with the Secretary of State.

                HB 89 - DOERGE & MONTOUCET Provides relative to the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) of the Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (LASERS) and the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL).  Allows DROP participants who become eligible on or after January 1, 2004 to elect to have their DROP accounts (after DROP participation) earn interest at the realized rate of return of the system’s portfolio instead of at the money market rate (TRSL) or instead of investing in self-directed accounts (LASERS).  Requires certain waivers and acknowledgements by the participant. 

                Act 714; see Act – effective dates vary.

            SB 167 - MURRAY Allows meetings of legislative committees held in the interim between sessions to be conducted by video conference.

                Act 185; effective June 13, 2008.

            SB 188 - MARIONNEAUX Recreates the free shopping day(s).

                Act 232; effective June 17, 2008.

                SB 210 - MARIONNEAUX All persons who are appointed to a position on a board, commission, committee, or district which requires Senate confirmation, including persons appointed to a partial time shall be subject to reconfirmation at the beginning of each legislative term or at the expiration of their appointed term of office if they continue to serve because no successor has been appointed; all such appointments shall be completed and submitted to the Senate for confirmation not later than the beginning of the next regular session of the legislature.

                Act 528; effective August 15, 2008.

                HB 229 - ROBIDEAUX Relative to the secondary component of the Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (LASERS) for certain persons employed in public safety services, provides for calculation of retirement benefits.

                Act 259; effective June 17, 2008.

                HB 230 - ROBIDEAUX Provides relative to the automatic change to the maximum benefit to a retiree of the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System (LASERS) upon the death of the named beneficiary.

                Act 260; effective June 17, 2008.

                HB 233 - DOERGE Relative to the Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (LASERS) – increases the accrual rate for disability benefit calculation from 1.8% to 2.5% for disability retirees who became eligible for LASERS membership on or after July 1, 2006. 

                Act 262; effective June 17, 2008.

               SB 241 – CRAVINS Authorizes an insurer to include coverage for speech and language pathology, physical therapy, rehabilitative services and occupational therapy as standard benefits.

                Act 529; effective June 30, 2008.

           SB 262 - LYDIA JACKSON Requires certain content and certain format of the executive budget; requires comparative statements for each department, budget unit, and program of all policy changes; defines “policy changes” to mean a narrative explanation of increases or decreases in the level of funding, level of services, or the scope of services resulting from legislative, judicial, or executive policy actions.  Such statements shall show funding, workload, and performance changes from the current year’s existing operating budget to the recommended budget for the ensuing year.

                Enrolled and sent to the Governor.

                SB 296 - ADLEY Constitutional amendment requiring that the proclamation calling for an extraordinary session be issued and made public so that at least 7 calendar days elapse after the day the proclamation is made public and prior to the day of the start of the session.

                Enrolled; sent to Secretary of State; submitted to voters on November 4, 2008.

                SB 299 - ERDEY Provides for the eligibility of certain developmentally disabled persons in the State Group Benefits Program.

                Act 414; effective June 21, 2008.

           HB 318 - KLECKLEY Requires health insurance coverage of prosthetic devices and prosthetic services.

                Act 349; effective June 21, 2008.

                HB 361 - PAT SMITH Provides relative to the conditions required for certain expelled students to be admitted or readmitted to public school.

                Act 145; effective August 15, 2008.

                HB 378 - ARMES Removes tracheotomy and oral pharyngeal suctioning from the definition of “non-complex health procedures” that are performed by certain school employees under certain circumstances.

                Act 802; effective August 15, 2008.

                HB 392 - GALLOT Clarifies the provision which allows a public body to take up a matter not on the agenda of a public meeting. 

                Act 131; effective August 15, 2008.

                SB 473 LYDIA JACKSON Provides for extended sick leave for employees who are not teachers.

                Act 457; effective August 15, 2008.

                HB 516 - CORTEZ Provides that including benefits for rehabilitative services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language pathology therapy as standard benefits in health insurance policies and programs shall be sufficient to serve as an alternative to offering optional coverage for these benefits.

                Act 151; effective August 15, 2008.

               HB 574 - GARY SMITH Prohibits interactions between students and school employees in public elementary and secondary schools except in accordance with specified guidelines and limitations.  Provides for implementation, oversight, and enforcement of the prohibition and limitations by public school governing authorities by no later than the beginning of the 2008 – 2009 school year.

                Act 359; effective June 21, 2008.

                HB 584 - DOWNS Constitutional amendment authorizing the contribution of public funds to post-employment benefit programs for public employees.

                Enrolled and filed with the Secretary of State; submitted to voters on November 4, 2008.

                HB 657 - TRAHAN Prohibits requiring school employees to complete paperwork if the information provided for in such paperwork is available from another source.

                Act 361; effective August 15, 2008.

            HB 670 - WILLIAMS Provides relative to autism services provided by the Department of Health and Hospitals.

                Act 154; effective August 15, 2008.

            HB 672 - TRAHAN Changes the name of listed teachers rights from “Educators’ Right to Teach” to “Teacher Bill of Rights”; adds that teachers have the right to certain immunity and to a legal defense and requires school boards to post copies of rights in school buildings and provide copies to parents.

                Act 155; effective June 12, 2008.

            SB 718  - MARTINY Provides relative to financial disclosure requirements of members of state boards and commissions.

                Act 472; effective on different dates – see Act.

                HB 719 - CARMODY Provides relative to in-service training for teachers, school counselors and principals in suicide prevention.

                Act 219; effective June 16, 2008.

            SB 719  - NEVERS Dyslexia screening program in grades Pre-K through 3. 

                Act 776; effective July 6, 2008.

            SB 746 - LONG Provides eligibility for sabbatical leave to social workers, guidance counselors, and school psychologists employed by the Special School District.

                Act 432; effective August 15, 2008.

                HB 757 - TRAHAN Enhances penalties for assault and battery of school teacher.

                Act 295; effective June 17, 2008.

                HB 958 - FOIL Requires health insurance coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders in individuals under 17 years of age.

                Act 648; effective August 15, 2008.

                HB 1053 - HARRISON Provides for comprehensive revision of the educational opportunities for children with exceptionalities.

                Act 376; effective August 15, 2008.

                HB 1077 - ROBIDEAUX Relative to the Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (LASERS) provides for transfers of service for members of existing hazardous duty plans to the hazardous duty services plan.

                Enrolled and sent to the Governor.

                HB 1078 - ROBIDEAUX Provides with respect to the computation of benefits for non-qualified participants in the Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (LASERS).

                Act 312; effective June 17, 2008.

             HB 1091 - PETERSON Creates the Louisiana High School Dropout Prevention Act of 2008 and provides for the circumstances under which certain students may withdraw from school.

                Act 742; effective August 15, 2008.

  Each act may be read via the legislative website at www.legis.state.la.us. 

The following bills were passed during the 2008 First Extraordinary Session

A total of 27 bills where passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor.  The following is a list of bills that passed during the First Extraordinary Session which may be of interest to LSHA members:

HB 8 - TUCKER Provides relative to the protection of public employees from threats of reprisal for reporting acts of alleged impropriety.  Act 5.

SB 37 - CHAISSON Requires the Commissioner of Administration to establish and maintain a website to post reports of state spending by agency.  Act 20.

HB 56 - TUCKER Creates and provides for an independent Office Of State Inspector General within the Office of the Governor.  Act 12.

            Each act may be read via the legislative website at www.legis.state.la.us. 

The following bills were passed during the 2008 Second Extraordinary Session

Well, no one expected the second extraordinary session to last only a week!  There were many bills providing for income tax deductions for tuition at private, parochial, and lab schools.  However, the following is a list of the bills which actually passed which may be of interest to LSHA members:

SB 5 - MARIONNEAUX and numerous others – Provides for a deduction from state income taxes for:

-          Tuition and fees for a student in a non-public elementary or secondary school or any public elementary or secondary laboratory school which is operated by a public college or university.  Tuition includes school uniforms, textbooks, curricula, other instructional materials required by schools, and school supplies.

-          Expenses for home-schooled children including textbooks and curricula.

-          Public elementary or secondary school expenses including school uniforms, textbooks, curricula or other instructional materials required by such schools, and school supplies.

           The foregoing deductions shall be equal to fifty percent of the actual amount paid by the taxpayer per student or $5,000 per student, whichever is less.  The deduction shall not exceed the total taxable income of the individual.  These deductions shall be applicable to amounts paid on or after January 1, 2009.  Enrolled and sent to the Governor.

HB 18 – GREENE and many others - Provides that the federal income tax rebates or credits expected to be given to tax payers in late spring or early summer of this year shall not reduce the federal income tax deduction under state income tax laws.  Enrolled and sent to the Governor.

                Each new law may be read via the legislative website at www.legis.state.la.us. 

Contact US: LSHA; 8550 United Plaza Blvd.; Suite 1001; Baton Rouge, LA 70809; (225) 922-4512; Fax: (225) 922-4611; Email: lsha@pncpa.com