EARLY CHILDHOOD: Provides relative to the Advisory Council on Early Childhood Care and Education and the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1146
BY REPRESENTATIVE WYBLE
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:407.101(C), (E), (F), and (G), to enact R.S. 17:407.101(I)
3 through (M), and to repeal R.S. 17:407.51, relative to early childhood care and
4 education; to provide relative to the Early Childhood Care and Education
5 Commission; to provide for the membership of the commission; to provide for the
6 duties and authority of the commission; to provide for meetings of the commission;
7 to provide relative to the Advisory Council on Early Childhood Care and Education;
8 to repeal the statutory authority for the advisory council; to transfer certain duties
9 and authority of the advisory council to the commission; to require certain reports
10 by the state Department of Education to be provided to the commission instead of the
11 advisory council; to provide for effectiveness; and to provide for related matters.
12 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
13 Section 1. The Legislature of Louisiana finds that the state's early childhood care and
14 education system has benefitted from both the Advisory Council on Early Childhood Care
15 and Education and the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission and that greater
16 alignment, efficiency, and impact can be achieved by consolidating these entities while
17 preserving their duties, membership, and authority.
18 Section 2. R.S. 17:407.101(C), (E), (F), and (G) are hereby amended and reenacted
19 and R.S. 17:407.101(I) through (M) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
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1 §407.101. Early Childhood Care and Education Commission
2 * * *
3 C.(1) The commission is composed of forty-five members as follows:
4 (a) One representative of a municipality that receives Head Start funding,
5 appointed by the governor.
6 (b) (a) One representative of a Head Start program, appointed by the
7 governor.
8 (c) (b) One representative of a child advocacy or community organization,
9 appointed by the governor.
10 (d) (c) One representative of a disability advocacy organization, appointed
11 by the governor.
12 (e) (d) One representative of the governor's office, appointed by the
13 governor.
14 (f) (e) One business representative, appointed by the speaker of the House of
15 Representatives.
16 (g) (f) One local school superintendent, appointed by the speaker of the
17 House of Representatives.
18 (h) (g) One representative of Type III early learning centers, appointed by the
19 speaker of the House of Representatives.
20 (i) (h) One representative of a child advocacy or community organization,
21 appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives For Providers, By
22 Providers.
23 (j) (i) One parent of a child in a publicly funded child daycare early learning
24 center, Early Head Start Center, Head Start Center, or stand-alone prekindergarten
25 program, appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
26 (k) (j) Two members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the
27 speaker of the House of Representatives.
28 (l) (k) One business representative, appointed by the president of the Senate.
29 (m) (l) One local school superintendent, appointed by the president of the
30 Senate.
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1 (n) (m) One representative of Type III early learning centers, appointed by
2 the president of the Senate.
3 (o) One representative of a child advocacy or community organization,
4 appointed by the president of the Senate.
5 (p) (n) One parent of a child in a publicly funded child daycare early learning
6 center, Early Head Start Center, Head Start Center, or stand-alone prekindergarten
7 program, appointed by the president of the Senate.
8 (q) (o) Two members of the Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate.
9 (r) (p) Two representatives of high-performing community early childhood
10 care and education networks, appointed by the State Board of Elementary and
11 Secondary Education upon recommendation of the state superintendent of education.
12 (s) (q) One representative of a nonpublic school participating in a publicly
13 funded early childhood care and education program, appointed by the State Board
14 of Elementary and Secondary Education.
15 (t) (r) A member appointed by the American Academy of Pediatrics,
16 Louisiana Chapter.
17 (u) One person with professional expertise in the operations of a family care
18 center, appointed by the governor. (s) One representative of a family child care
19 provider that is Child Care Assistance Program-certified with academic approval,
20 appointed by the state superintendent of education.
21 (v) (t) One early care and education researcher from a public postsecondary
22 education institution, appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
23 (w) (u) One representative from either a Type I or Type II early learning
24 center, appointed by the president of the Senate.
25 (x) (v) One representative of maternal, infant, and early childhood home
26 visitation programs within the Bureau of Family Health, appointed by the secretary
27 of the Louisiana Department of Health.
28 (y) (w) One representative of the Early Steps program within the Bureau of
29 Family Health, appointed by the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
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1 (z) (x) One representative of early childhood programs within the state
2 Department of Education, appointed by the state superintendent of education.
3 (aa) (y) One representative The director of the Louisiana Head Start
4 Collaboration Office, appointed by the state superintendent of education.
5 (bb) (z) One representative of the special education programs within the state
6 Department of Education, appointed by the state superintendent of education.
7 (cc) (aa) A staff member of the Board of Regents, appointed by the Board of
8 Regents.
9 (dd) (bb) The secretary of Louisiana Works, or his designee.
10 (ee) (cc) The secretary of Louisiana Economic Development, or his designee.
11 (ff) (dd) The secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services,
12 or his designee.
13 (gg) (ee) One professional with expertise in the socioemotional development
14 and well-being of children from birth through age four, appointed by the governor.
15 (hh) (ff) One early intervention researcher from a Louisiana public
16 postsecondary education institution, appointed by the Board of Regents.
17 (ii) (gg) One early childhood education researcher from a Louisiana public
18 postsecondary education institution, appointed by the Board of Regents.
19 (jj) (hh) One member of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary
20 Education, appointed by the president of the board.
21 (kk) (ii) One early childhood development and education specialist,
22 appointed by the president of the Center for Development Literacy and Learning.
23 (ll) (jj) One member of the Louisiana Educational Television Authority,
24 appointed by the chairman of the authority.
25 (mm) (kk) One representative of a nongovernmental economic development
26 organization, appointed by the chief executive officer of the Committee of 100 for
27 Economic Development, Inc. Leaders for a Better Louisiana.
28 (nn) (ll) One representative of a child advocacy organization, appointed by
29 the chief executive director officer of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children.
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1 (oo) (mm) The president and chief executive officer of the Louisiana
2 Association of Business and Industry, or his designee.
3 (pp) (nn) The executive director One child care provider, appointed by the
4 board of directors of the Child Care Association of Louisiana, or his designee.
5 (oo) One representative of a Type III early learning center, selected by the
6 state superintendent of education.
7 (pp) One representative of a Type II early learning center, selected by the
8 state superintendent of education.
9 (qq) One representative of a Head Start program, which shall be operated by
10 a nonlocal education agency and selected by the state superintendent of education
11 from a list of three persons nominated by the Louisiana Head Start Association.
12 (rr) One representative of local education agencies operating publicly funded
13 early childhood programs other than Head Start, selected by the state board.
14 (ss) One representative from a child care resource and referral agency,
15 appointed by the state board.
16 (tt) One professional or faculty member having child development or early
17 childhood education expertise from a Louisiana postsecondary education institution,
18 selected by the commissioner of higher education.
19 (uu) One parent of a child currently enrolled in a publicly funded early
20 learning center or prekindergarten program, selected by the state board.
21 (2) The commission shall include nonvoting ex officio members who may
22 advise and contribute to discussions pertaining to early childhood care and education,
23 including but not limited to the following:
24 (a) The chairmen of the House Committee on Education, Senate Committee
25 on Education, House Committee on Health and Welfare, and Senate Committee on
26 Health and Welfare, or their designees.
27 (b) The director of the Maternal and Child Health Program at the Louisiana
28 Department of Health.
29 (c) The director of the Child and Adult Care Food Program at the
30 Department of Education.
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1 (d) The Louisiana State Fire Marshal, or his designee.
2 (e) A representative from the office of sanitarian services at the Louisiana
3 Department of Health.
4 (f) A representative from the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal
5 Identification and Information.
6 (3) A vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the
7 same manner as the original appointment.
8 (3) (4) The chairman of the House Committee on Education and chairman
9 of the Senate Committee on Education, acting jointly, shall select two members to
10 serve as co-chairmen of the commission voting members of the commission shall
11 elect a chair or provide for co-chairs if deemed necessary to provide for effective
12 governance.
13 (4) (5) The members of the commission shall serve without compensation,
14 unless otherwise provided by law.
15 (5) (6) Members shall serve a term of four years from the date of
16 appointment. However, the term of a member appointed by an elected official shall
17 not extend beyond the term of the appointing authority.
18 * * *
19 E.(1) The commission shall study and make recommendations relative to
20 establishing a statewide vision and framework for the future of early childhood care
21 and education in Louisiana. When conducting analysis and making
22 recommendations relative to a vision and framework, the commission shall do all of
23 the following:
24 (1) (a) Gather and analyze data relative to the current availability, quality,
25 and cost of early childhood care and education throughout the state for children from
26 birth through age four, determine needs and priorities, and develop a plan focused
27 on family access, affordability, and quality.
28 (2) (b) Consider research, local coordination currently established in
29 Louisiana including current high-performing community networks, and related work
30 done in other states to determine best practices for the purpose of informing and
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1 fostering the continued development of local governing entities that coordinate
2 across programs and providers in order to meet family needs, drive quality
3 improvement, maximize financial resources, and support children from birth through
4 age four and their families.
5 (3) (c) Determine a sustainable infrastructure to ensure quality programs
6 across providers. Such infrastructure shall include workforce and professional
7 development, monitoring and assessment, coordinated enrollment, and data-informed
8 decisionmaking.
9 (4) (d) Identify opportunities for collaboration and coordination among and
10 inefficiencies across governance structures of programs and agencies responsible for
11 development of children from birth through age four, including state agencies, local
12 community networks, and publicly funded programs.
13 (5) (e) Define a timeframe for achieving the vision and determine
14 benchmarks for the intervening years.
15 (6) (f) Determine the amount of funding needed to achieve affordable access
16 to quality care and education for all children from birth through age four and
17 recommend policies that prioritize the allocation of future funding.
18 (7) (g) Gather and analyze data, laws, and policy in Louisiana and other
19 states where children are in the care of family child care providers and consider and
20 make recommendations relative to the incorporation of such providers into the early
21 childhood care and education network.
22 F. (2) Not later than ninety days following the end of each fiscal year, the
23 commission shall provide a report of its findings and recommendations and the status
24 of the implementation of its recommendations to the governor, the members of the
25 legislature, the state superintendent of education, and the State Board of Elementary
26 and Secondary Education. The report shall include without limitation policy
27 recommendations of the commission, the status of the implementation of its
28 recommendations, and findings of the commission concerning system performance
29 and progress toward statewide goals.
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1 G. F.(1) The commission shall provide input and guidance to the State
2 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state Department of
3 Education on matters pertaining to the development and implementation of rules,
4 regulations, bulletins, policies, or standards related to all early care and education
5 programs, including early learning centers, enrollment in early learning centers, the
6 Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program, the Child Care and Development
7 Fund Block Grant, the Child Care Assistance Program, Early Head Start, and Head
8 Start.
9 (2) Prior to its submission to the United States Department of Health and
10 Human Services, the state Department of Education shall consult and provide a draft
11 of the state plan for the Child Care and Development Fund and its budget, and any
12 amendments to the state plan including budget revisions, and provide an opportunity
13 for the commission to make recommendations. Recommendations made by the
14 commission shall be reported to the state board.
15 (3) Prior to consideration by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary
16 Education of any rule or standard related to early learning centers, enrollment in
17 early learning centers, the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program, the Child
18 Care and Development Fund Block Grant, or the Child Care Assistance Program, the
19 state Department of Education shall consult with and provide a draft of the proposed
20 rules to the commission and provide an opportunity for the commission to make
21 recommendations. Recommendations made by the commission shall be reported to
22 the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education prior to their adoption. The
23 provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply to the adoption of emergency rules.
24 However, the state Department of Education shall notify the commission of any
25 meetings of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education at which
26 emergency rules pertaining to matters described in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection
27 will be considered. Such notification shall be given at the same time that public
28 notice of the meeting is given and shall include a draft of the proposed emergency
29 rule.
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1 G.(1) The commission shall meet at least two times per year quarterly, with
2 the meetings to be called by the chair or the state superintendent as needed. At each
3 meeting, the state Department of Education shall provide updates on how the
4 commission's recommendations are being implemented. The commission shall make
5 any further recommendations it deems necessary to advance the vision and goals
6 established pursuant to Subsection E of this Section.
7 (2) Members of the commission may attend and participate in a meeting via
8 electronic means in accordance with R.S. 42:17.2.
9 * * *
10 I. The commission may establish such work groups as the commission
11 deems necessary and appropriate to carry out its duties and responsibilities, including
12 work groups focusing on matters that include but are not limited to an early
13 childhood education funding formula, early childhood education workforce stability,
14 early childhood education regulatory implementation, and an early childhood
15 education statewide vision and framework. Work groups shall meet at least twice
16 per year, and members of work groups may attend and participate in a meeting via
17 electronic means in accordance with R.S. 42:17.2.
18 J. The state Department of Education shall provide quarterly reports to the
19 commission on the implementation and progress, activities, and status of the Early
20 Childhood Care and Education Network.
21 K. The state Department of Education shall provide the commission with
22 reports not less than annually of the following information, provided that data is
23 available, pursuant to a schedule agreed upon by the chair and the state
24 superintendent of education:
25 (1) A description of each publicly funded early care and education program,
26 including the eligibility criteria, the program requirements, average number of hours
27 and days of the program, and the amount of total funding and source of funding for
28 each program. The description shall also include a specific description of the fee
29 structure for the Child Care Assistance Program.
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1 (2) The number of children served in each publicly funded early childhood
2 care and education program in Louisiana, broken down by the age of the child and
3 amount of public funding per child per program.
4 (3) The number of early learning centers by each licensing type and at each
5 quality level as determined by the accountability system then in place, and the
6 number of children served at each age in each type at each quality level.
7 (4) A description of the training and support provided to each program and
8 the amount of funding for this by program and source of funds.
9 (5) A description of unmet family demand for early care and education in
10 Louisiana.
11 (6) A description of the goals for the upcoming fiscal year for early care and
12 education in Louisiana, including outcome indicators that will be used to measure
13 progress, and a description of the progress made in achieving the previous year's
14 goals.
15 (7) A description and results of any evaluations of the early care and
16 education programs in the state.
17 (8) A description of the early care and education workforce, including an
18 analysis of the status of the current early care and education workforce, including
19 demographics, certifications and education levels, participation and level on any
20 professional development ladder, and the participation in any teacher tax credits.
21 The description shall also include information about salaries and benefits, and a
22 comparison of these to similarly qualified employees in other but related fields, and
23 an analysis of the workforce capacity necessary to meet the state's early care and
24 education needs.
25 L. Any reports provided by the state Department of Education to the
26 commission and any commission recommendations shall be included in meeting
27 minutes.
28 M.(1) The commission is hereby designated as the State Advisory Council
29 on Early Childhood Education and Care for children from birth to school entry
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1 pursuant to Section 642B(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C.
2 9837b(b)(1)(A)(i)).
3 (2) The state superintendent of education or his designee shall serve as the
4 coordinator of the commission's activities in its capacity as the State Advisory
5 Council pursuant to Section 642B(b)(1)(A)(ii) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C.
6 9837b(b)(1)(A)(ii)).
7 (3) Nothing in this Subsection shall be construed to limit the authority of the
8 commission further than which is otherwise provided by this Section or to expand
9 the authority of the commission further than which is otherwise authorized by this
10 Section and applicable federal law.
11 Section 3. R.S. 17:407.51 is hereby repealed in its entirety.
12 Section 4. Each action, recommendation, or report in progress on the effective date
13 of this Act pursuant to R.S. 17:407.51 shall continue without interruption, all in accordance
14 with the corresponding provisions of R.S. 17:407.101 as provided in this Act.
15 Section 5. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
16 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
17 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
18 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
19 effective on the day following such approval.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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