Senate Bill No. SLS 25RS-80 seeks to enhance child welfare in Louisiana by amending various statutes related to child safety, reporting, and the licensure of early learning centers. The bill establishes minimum safety standards for prekindergarten programs, mandates reporting training for educators, and requires school employees to report any convictions or recordation on the Department of Children and Family Services' (DCFS) state central registry. It prohibits individuals with certain criminal convictions from owning or operating early learning centers and mandates compliance with child safety standards for all public prekindergarten programs. The bill also specifies penalties for school employees who fail to report required information, thereby reinforcing accountability within educational settings.

Additionally, the bill modifies terminology related to child abuse and neglect cases, replacing terms like "justified" and "valid" with "substantiated" and "unsubstantiated." It introduces new reporting requirements for alleged child abuse in schools, mandates immediate notification to parents and law enforcement, and allows parents to seek damages for medical and educational expenses if their child is a victim of sexual abuse in a school setting. The bill also expands the list of disqualifying offenses for employment in schools and early learning centers, requires nonpublic prekindergarten programs to be licensed, and enhances oversight by requiring the DCFS to notify the state child ombudsman of any child deaths related to reported abuse or neglect. Overall, the legislation aims to improve child safety and accountability in early childhood education environments.

Statutes affected:
SB41 Original: 14:3(A), 15:1(C), 15:1(C)(1), 15:3(H), 17:7(A), 17:7(B), 17:7(B)(1), 17:9(A)(5), 17:15(A)(1), 17:16(A), 17:8(A), 17:33(5), 17:35(A), 17:42(A)(2), 17:46(A)(1), 17:71(A), 17:443(B)(1), 17:493(C)(1), 17:3996(B)(28), 40:10(A)(3), 40:2019(F)(3), 46:2(A)(1), 46:56(F)(1), 46:1(A)
SB41 Engrossed: 14:3(A), 15:1(C), 15:1(C)(1), 15:3(H), 17:7(B), 17:7(B)(1), 17:15(A)(1), 17:16(A), 17:8(A), 17:33(5), 17:35(A), 17:42(A)(2), 17:46(A)(1), 17:71(A), 17:443(B)(1), 17:493(C)(1), 17:3996(B)(28), 40:10(A)(3), 40:2019(F)(3), 46:2(A)(1), 46:56(F)(1), 46:1(A)
SB41 Reengrossed: 14:3(A), 15:1(C), 15:1(C)(1), 15:3(H), 17:7(B), 17:7(B)(1), 17:15(A)(1), 17:16(A), 17:8(A), 17:33(5), 17:35(A), 17:42(A)(2), 17:46(A)(1), 17:71(A), 17:443(B)(1), 17:493(C)(1), 17:3996(B)(28), 40:10(A)(3), 40:2019(F)(3), 46:2(A)(1), 46:56(F)(1), 46:1(A)
SB41 Re-Reengrossed: 14:3(A), 15:1(C), 15:1(C)(1), 15:3(H), 17:7(B), 17:7(B)(1), 17:15(A)(1), 17:16(A), 17:8(A), 17:33(5), 17:35(A), 17:42(A)(2), 17:46(A)(1), 17:71(A), 17:443(B)(1), 17:493(C)(1), 17:3996(B)(28), 24:525(D), 40:10(A)(3), 40:2019(F)(3), 46:2(A)(1), 46:56(F)(1), 46:1(A)