STUDENT/DISCIPLINE: Provides relative to student disciplinary processes with respect to suspensions and expulsions

HLS 26RS-1144 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 531
BY REPRESENTATIVE CHASSION
STUDENT/DISCIPLINE: Provides relative to student disciplinary processes with respect
to suspensions and expulsions
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:416(C)(4) and (5)(a) and to repeal R.S. 17:416(C)(2)(c),
3 relative to student discipline; to provide relative to the authority of parents to request
4 reviews of expulsion decisions by the school board and the district court; to remove
5 certain requirements relative to mandatory expulsions; and to provide for related
6 matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:416(C)(4) and (5)(a) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
9 as follows:
10 §416. Discipline of students; suspension; expulsion
11 * * *
12 C.
13 * * *
14 (4) The parent or legal guardian of the student who has been recommended
15 for expulsion pursuant to this Section may, within five days after the decision is
16 rendered, submit a request to the city, parish, or other local public school board to
17 review the findings of the superintendent or his designee at a time set by the school
18 board; otherwise the decision of the superintendent shall be final. If requested as
19 provided in this Paragraph, and after reviewing the findings of the superintendent or
20 his designee, the school board may affirm, modify, or reverse the action previously
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1144 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 531
1 taken. The parent or legal guardian of the student shall not have such right of review
2 even if the recommendation for expulsion is reduced to a short-term or long-term
3 suspension. Each school board's code of conduct shall include information detailing
4 the appeal process provided in this Paragraph and Subparagraph (5)(a) of this
5 Subsection.
6 (5)(a) The parent or legal guardian of the student who has been
7 recommended for expulsion pursuant to this Section may, within ten school days,
8 appeal to the district court for the parish in which the student's school is located, an
9 adverse ruling of the school board in upholding the action of the superintendent or
10 his designee. The court may reverse or revise the ruling of the school board upon a
11 finding that the ruling of the board was based on an absence of any relevant evidence
12 in support thereof. The parent or legal guardian of the student shall not have such
13 right to appeal to the district court even if the recommendation for expulsion is
14 reduced to a short-term or long-term suspension.
15 * * *
16 Section 2. R.S. 17:416(C)(2)(c) is hereby repealed in its entirety.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 531 Original 2026 Regular Session Chassion
Abstract: Provides for student disciplinary procedures with respect to suspensions and
expulsions.
Present law allows the parent of a student who has been recommended for expulsion, within
five days after the decision is rendered, to submit a request to the school board to review the
findings of the superintendent. Provides that the parent has such right of review even if the
recommendation for expulsion is reduced to a suspension. Proposed law provides that the
parent does not have such right of review if the recommendation for expulsion is reduced
to a short-term or long-term suspension and otherwise retains present law.
Present law allows the parent of a student who has been recommended for expulsion, within
10 school days, to appeal to the district court. Proposed law provides that the parent has
such right of review even if the recommendation for expulsion is reduced to a suspension.
Proposed law provides that the parent does not have such right of review if the
recommendation for expulsion is reduced to a short-term or long-term suspension and
otherwise retains present law.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1144 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 531
Present law provides that notwithstanding any public school state or local policies, a public
school student in grades six through 12 who is suspended a third time within the same school
year for any offense, excluding those related to dress codes or tardiness, shall be
recommended for expulsion. Proposed law repeals present law.
(Amends R.S. 17:416(C)(4) and (5)(a); Repeals R.S. 17:416(C)(2)(c))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.