LEGISLATIVE FISCAL OFFICE
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note On: SB 416 SLS 24RS 564
Bill Text Version: REENGROSSED
Opp. Chamb. Action:
Proposed Amd.:
Sub. Bill For.:
Date: May 15, 2024 8:24 AM Author: BOUIE
Dept./Agy.: EDUCATION
Subject: School Bus Disciplinarians Analyst: Julie Silva
SCHOOLS RE INCREASE LF EX See Note Page 1 of 2
Provides relative to a disciplinarian or other school administrator to ride on a school bus transporting students to and from
school. (gov sig)
Proposed legislation requires any city, parish, or other local school board providing free transportation on a school bus to
provide a bus monitor, who may be a disciplinarian or other school administrator, to ride on a school bus when an incident
takes place that causes a disturbance. Disturbance, for the purposes of proposed legislation, is defined as: (1) engaging in a
fistic encounter; (2) addressing any offensive, derisive, or annoying words to any other person who is lawfully in any street,
or other public place; or call him by any offensive or derisive name, or make any noise or exclamation in his presence and
hearing with the intent to deride, offend, or annoy him, or to prevent him from pursuing his lawful business, occupation, or
duty; (3) appearing in an intoxicated condition; or (4) engaging in any act in a violent and tumultuous manner by any three
or more persons. If required, the monitor is to ride on the bus for the remainder of the school year.
EXPENDITURES 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 5 -YEAR TOTAL
State Gen. Fd. $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Agy. Self-Gen. $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Ded./Other $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Federal Funds $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Local Funds INCREASE INCREASE INCREASE INCREASE INCREASE
Annual Total
REVENUES 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 5 -YEAR TOTAL
State Gen. Fd. $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Agy. Self-Gen. $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Ded./Other $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Federal Funds $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Local Funds $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Annual Total $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
EXPENDITURE EXPLANATION
There is likely to be an increase in local governmental expenditures as a result of this measure, though the extent to which
this may occur will be situational and based on the specific circumstances of a given school district. Proposed legislation
would require all local school boards to provide a monitor, who may be either a disciplinarian or other school administrator,
to ride a school bus on which an incident causing disturbance occurs, for the remainder of the school year of such
occurrence. Any increase in expenditures for local school districts will be directly related to the number of qualifying
incidents that occur on school buses in a specific district each year. LDOE provided there were 12,250 school bus disciplinary
incident reports filed statewide in the 2022-23 school year. Not all of these reports meet the threshold provided in proposed
legislation that would require a monitor to be placed on the bus, but some offense types that would qualify are provided
below. Note that these numbers may count incidents more than once, if more than one student was involved and received a
disciplinary report. They also do not contemplate the possibility of whether multiple incidents occurred on the same bus;
therefore, using them to project the number of monitors that may be needed is not likely to provide an accurate cost
estimate. Additionally, it is unknown how many, if any, of the buses where these reported incidents occurred had monitors
on board.
Disciplinary Offense Type Number of Reports
Instigated or Participated in Fights 2,506
Exhibited Injurious Conduct 1,281
Uses Obscene or Profane Language 815
Committed a Crime of Violence (per R.S. 14:2(B)) 109
Uses or Possesses Alcohol or Dangerous Substances 106
Public Indecency 11
Sexual Harassment 28
CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO
REVENUE EXPLANATION
There is no anticipated direct material effect on governmental revenues as a result of this measure.
Senate Dual Referral Rules House
13.5.1 >= $100,000 Annual Fiscal Cost {S & H} 6.8(F)(1) >= $100,000 SGF Fiscal Cost {H & S}
13.5.2 >= $500,000 Annual Tax or Fee Patrice Thomas
6.8(G) >= $500,000 Tax or Fee Increase
Change {S & H} or a Net Fee Decrease {S} Deputy Fiscal Officer
 LEGISLATIVE FISCAL OFFICE
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note On: SB 416 SLS 24RS 564
Bill Text Version: REENGROSSED
Opp. Chamb. Action:
Proposed Amd.:
Sub. Bill For.:
Date: May 15, 2024 8:24 AM Author: BOUIE
Dept./Agy.: EDUCATION
Subject: School Bus Disciplinarians Analyst: Julie Silva
CONTINUED EXPLANATION from page one: Page 2 of 2
Some school boards report having employees currently on staff who serve as monitors, however not all do. For those that do
not, an increase in expenditures may be realized in the event placement of a monitor on a bus is necessary. The following
information is provided to illustrate potential costs a district may incur if it opts to hire an employee or employees specifically
for the purpose of serving as a bus monitor. HR 146 of the 2022 Regular Session required LDOE to study the feasibility and
effectiveness of installing seat belts on school buses. The report suggested that aides should be hired to assist with school
bus evacuations in the event of an emergency and to ensure that occupants are using restraints properly. At that time, the
estimated annual cost per aide ranged from approximately $17,000 to $35,000. Additional costs associated with retirement
benefits and medical insurance for these employees would also be incurred. For school districts that opt to utilize existing
employees to serve as monitors, expenditures would be expected to increase to provide overtime pay for nonexempt
employees. Additional pay may also be provided to exempt employees, at the discretion of the local school district. The
significance of any increase in expenditures is also expected to be dependent on the time of year a qualifying incident
occurs. For instance, costs will be higher if an incident occurs near the start of a school year as a monitor will be required for
a more significant length of time than if an incident were to occur closer to the end of a school year.
Senate Dual Referral Rules House
13.5.1 >= $100,000 Annual Fiscal Cost {S & H} 6.8(F)(1) >= $100,000 SGF Fiscal Cost {H & S}
13.5.2 >= $500,000 Annual Tax or Fee Patrice Thomas
6.8(G) >= $500,000 Tax or Fee Increase
Change {S & H} or a Net Fee Decrease {S} Deputy Fiscal Officer


Statutes affected:
SB416 Original: 17:158(K)
SB416 Engrossed: 17:158(K)
SB416 Reengrossed: 17:158(K)