ETHICS/NEPOTISM: Provides an exception for hiring the immediate family member of a school board member or superintendent for certain positions

Education Labor

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Bryan Fontenot
Last action: 2026-05-15
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 169
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Hiring Family Members for School Jobs

This act allows local school boards to hire immediate family members of board members or the superintendent as paraprofessionals, custodians, or cafeteria workers if they meet job requirements and requires recusal from related decisions.

What This Bill Does

Allows a local school board to hire an immediate family member of a board member or superintendent for certain jobs like paraprofessional, custodian, or cafeteria worker.
Requires the hiring to follow specific criteria set by the position being filled.
Needs the person making the decision about hiring to not be involved if their family is hired.

Who It Names or Affects

Local school boards
Board members and superintendents of local schools
Immediate family members of board members or superintendents

Terms To Know

Recusal: The act of not taking part in a decision because it might be unfair.
Paraprofessional: A person who helps teachers with tasks like tutoring or grading papers.

Limits and Unknowns

Doesn't specify what happens if the family member doesn't meet job requirements.
Only applies to certain types of jobs in local schools.

Amendments

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

Summary of Senate Amendments to HB661

Filed

Plain English: SSHB661 3645 5191 HOUSE SUMMARY OF SENATE AMENDMENTS HB 661 2026 Regular Session Fontenot ETHICS/NEPOTISM: Provides for exceptions for hiring the immediate family member of a school board member or superintendent for certain positions Synopsis of Senate Amendments 1.

SSHB661 3645 5191 HOUSE SUMMARY OF SENATE AMENDMENTS HB 661 2026 Regular Session Fontenot ETHICS/NEPOTISM: Provides for exceptions for hiring the immediate family member of a school board member or superintendent for certain positions Synopsis of Senate Amendments 1.
Add the repeal of a present law exception authorizing the promotion of a classroom teacher or special education professional that is a member of the immediate family member of a school board member or superintendent to an administrative position.
Digest of Bill as Finally Passed by Senate Present law generally provides that no member of the immediate family of a member of a governing authority or the chief executive of a governmental entity shall be employed by the governmental entity.
Present law provides for exceptions.

House Floor Amendment #2538 Larvadain Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HFAHB661 3645 2538 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Larvadain to Engrossed House Bill No.

HFAHB661 3645 2538 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Larvadain to Engrossed House Bill No.
661 by Representative Fontenot 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 2, after "R.S.
42:1119(B)(2)(a)(vii)" and before "relative" delete "and (viii)," 3 and insert a comma "," 4 AMENDMENT NO.

House Vote on HB 661 CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENTS (#1085)

Filed

Plain English: The amendment allows school board members and superintendents to hire immediate family members for certain positions, with specific conditions.

Adds an exception that permits hiring immediate family members of school board members or the superintendent under certain circumstances.

The official text does not specify which positions are eligible for this exception or what conditions must be met. More details would need to be provided to fully understand the amendment's impact.

Senate Floor Amendment #2780 Cathey Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: SFAHB661 4442 2780 SENATE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senator Cathey to Reengrossed House Bill No.

SFAHB661 4442 2780 SENATE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senator Cathey to Reengrossed House Bill No.
661 by Representative Fontenot 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 2, after "42:1119(B)(2)(a)(vii)" insert "and to repeal R.S.
3 42:1119(B)(2)(a)(v)" 4 AMENDMENT NO.

Bill History

2026-05-15 H
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
2026-05-15 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 169.
2026-05-13 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-13 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-12 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-11 H
Read by title, roll called, yeas 99, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.
2026-05-07 H
Scheduled for concurrence on 05/11/2026.
2026-05-06 H
Received from the Senate with amendments.
2026-05-05 S
Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-04-21 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-04-20 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-15 S
Reported favorably.
2026-04-01 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.
2026-03-31 S
Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-03-30 H
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 94, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-03-26 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 03/30/2026.
2026-03-25 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-24 H
Reported favorably (12-0).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.
2026-02-27 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
2026-02-27 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.
2026-02-27 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

ETHICS/NEPOTISM: Provides an exception for hiring the immediate family member of a school board member or superintendent for certain positions

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 1692026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 661
BY REPRESENTATIVE FONTENOT
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 42:1119(B)(2)(a)(vii) and to repeal R.S. 42:1119(B)(2)(a)(v), relative to
3 nepotism; to provide an exception for a local school board to hire an immediate
4 family member of a board member or the superintendent as a paraprofessional,
5 custodian, or cafeteria worker under certain circumstances; and to provide for
6 related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 42:1119(B)(2)(a)(vii) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §1119. Nepotism
10 * * *
11 B.
12 * * *
13 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection:
14 (a)
15 * * *
16 (vii) Any local school board may employ an immediate family member of
17 any board member or of the superintendent as a paraprofessional, custodian, or
18 cafeteria worker provided the family member meets the required criteria of the
19 position. Any school board member or superintendent whose immediate family
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 661 ENROLLED
1 member is employed by the school board shall recuse himself from any decision
2 involving the promotion or assignment of such employee.
3 * * *
4 Section 2. R.S. 42:1119(B)(2)(a)(v) is hereby repealed.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.