House Bill No. by Representative Chassion amends the student disciplinary processes regarding suspensions and expulsions. The bill modifies R.S. 17:416(C)(4) and (5)(a) to clarify that parents or legal guardians of students recommended for expulsion may request a review of the superintendent's findings by the school board within five days of the decision. However, this right of review is not applicable if the expulsion recommendation is reduced to a short-term or long-term suspension. Additionally, the bill allows parents to appeal adverse rulings of the school board to the district court within ten school days, but again, this right is not available if the expulsion recommendation is reduced to a suspension.

Furthermore, the bill repeals R.S. 17:416(C)(2)(c), which previously mandated that a public school student in grades six through twelve who is suspended for a third time within the same school year for any offense (excluding dress code or tardiness) must be recommended for expulsion. This repeal removes the automatic expulsion requirement, thereby providing more flexibility in handling student discipline cases. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the disciplinary process while ensuring that parents have a clearer understanding of their rights regarding expulsion and suspension decisions.

Statutes affected:
HB531 Original: 17:416(C)(4), 17:416(C)(2)