HB28 • 2026

TEACHERS/CERTIFICATION: Provides relative to the appeals process for teacher certification applicants

Education

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Charles Owen
Last action: 2026-05-22
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 281
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes speculative language about what happens if the State Board decides not to override a denial.

Teacher Certification Appeals Process

This act allows the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to override decisions made by the Teacher Certification Appeals Council if a teacher was denied certification due to circumstances beyond their control, under certain conditions.

What This Bill Does

Allows the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to override a denial decision from the Teacher Certification Appeals Council if it is based on circumstances beyond the applicant's control.
The State Board or its president can call special meetings to discuss these cases.
Requires the State Board or its president to give a final answer within 30 days after receiving an appeal request.
Applies new rules both for future cases and some past cases from January 1, 2025.

Who It Names or Affects

Teachers who have been denied certification in Louisiana.
The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Teacher Certification Appeals Council.

Terms To Know

State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education: A group that makes decisions about education rules in Louisiana, including teacher certifications.
Teacher Certification Appeals Council: An organization that reviews appeals from teachers who were denied certification.

Limits and Unknowns

The act does not specify what happens if the State Board decides not to override a denial.
It is unclear how many past cases will be affected by this new rule.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

House Committee Amendment #1969 EDUC Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HCAHB28 224 1969 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB28 224 1969 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.
28 by Representative Owen 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 4, after "the" and before "to" delete "state superintendent" and insert "State 3 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education" 4 AMENDMENT NO.
2 5 On page 1, line 5, after "circumstances;" and before "to provide for applicability;" insert "to 6 authorize the state board to delegate this authority to the board president; to authorize the 7 state board to call a special meeting for these purposes; to require the state board or board 8 president to render a decision within a certain time period;" 9 AMENDMENT NO.

House Committee Amendment #1898 EDUC Draft

Draft

Plain English: HCAHB28 224 1898 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB28 224 1898 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.
28 by Representative Owen 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 4, after "the" and before "to" delete "state superintendent" and insert "State 3 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education" 4 AMENDMENT NO.
2 5 On page 1, line 5, after "circumstances;" and before "to provide for applicability;" insert "to 6 authorize the state board to delegate this authority to the board president; to authorize the 7 state board to call a special meeting for these purposes; to require the state board or board 8 president to render a decision within a certain time period;" 9 AMENDMENT NO.

Bill History

2026-05-22 H
Effective date: See Act.
2026-05-22 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 281.
2026-05-19 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-19 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-19 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-19 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-18 S
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-13 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-12 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-05-11 S
Reported favorably.
2026-03-25 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Education.
2026-03-24 S
Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-03-24 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 91, nays 3. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-03-23 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 03/24/2026.
2026-03-23 H
Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-18 H
Reported with amendments (9-4).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Education.
2026-01-23 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 1/23/2026.
2026-01-21 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Education.
2026-01-21 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

TEACHERS/CERTIFICATION: Provides relative to the appeals process for teacher certification applicants

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 28
BY REPRESENTATIVES OWEN, AMEDEE, BROUSSARD, EDMONSTON,
MARTINEZ, AND TAYLOR
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:8.8(E), relative to teacher certification; to provide relative to
3 the appeals process for applicants who have been denied certification; to authorize
4 the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to override a decision of the
5 Teacher Certification Appeals Council under certain circumstances; to authorize the
6 state board to delegate this authority to the board president; to authorize the state
7 board to call a special meeting for these purposes; to require the state board or board
8 president to render a decision within a certain time period; to provide for
9 applicability; and to provide for related matters.
10 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 17:8.8(E) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
12 §8.8. Certification appeals; appeals council; membership; duties; reporting;
13 exceptions
14 * * *
15 E.(1) The council shall evaluate the appeals of persons seeking Louisiana
16 certification, including a review of the documents and transcripts of appellants, and
17 shall submit a written report of its findings to the board. A decision of the council
18 shall be a final decision except as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection.
19 (2)(a) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education may
20 override the council's denial of an appellant's appeal if the denial was based on
21 circumstances beyond the appellant's control as determined by the state board;
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HB NO. 28 ENROLLED
1 however, the state board shall not override a denial by the council if it determines
2 that the certification of the appellant would conflict with state or federal law.
3 (b) The state board may call a special meeting to consider overriding a denial
4 of the council. The state board may delegate its authority to override such a denial
5 to the board president. If an appellant submits a request for the board to override a
6 denial, either the state board or the board president shall render a decision within
7 thirty days of receiving the request.
8 * * *
9 Section 2. The authority of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
10 to override the Teacher Certification Appeals Council's denial of appeals as provided in R.S.
11 17:8.8(E) as amended and reenacted by Section 1 of this Act shall have both prospective
12 application and retroactive application to denials issued by the council between January 1,
13 2025, and the effective date of this Act.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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