LEGISLATIVE FISCAL OFFICE
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note On: SB 197 SLS 23RS 389
Bill Text Version: ENROLLED
Opp. Chamb. Action:
Proposed Amd.:
Sub. Bill For.:
Date: June 7, 2023 8:57 AM Author: PEACOCK
Dept./Agy.: Education
Subject: Teacher certification and criminal history record checks Analyst: Julie Silva
TEACHERS EN INCREASE SG EX See Note Page 1 of 2
Provides relative to teacher certification. (gov sig)
Proposed legislation amends current law concerning criminal background checks (CBCs) for administrators, teachers, and
other employees who have educator credentials or teaching authorizations. Proposed legislation requires, effective
January 1, 2025, all applicants for an initial teacher certification to undergo a CBC. Proposed legislation additionally removes
the requirement that employing schools request a separate CBC for an applicant who has been issued a teaching credential
or authorization issued by the state board or the Louisiana Department of Education (LDE), unless such applicant’s teaching
certification or teaching authorization has been denied, suspended, or revoked by the state board or the state department.
Proposed legislation additionally expands certification pathways for teachers.
EXPENDITURES 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28 5 -YEAR TOTAL
State Gen. Fd. $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Agy. Self-Gen. INCREASE INCREASE INCREASE INCREASE INCREASE
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
REVENUES 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28 5 -YEAR TOTAL
State Gen. Fd. $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Agy. Self-Gen. INCREASE INCREASE INCREASE INCREASE INCREASE
Ded./Other $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Federal Funds $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Local Funds SEE BELOW SEE BELOW SEE BELOW SEE BELOW SEE BELOW
Annual Total
EXPENDITURE EXPLANATION
Proposed legislation will result in an increase in state expenditures. The Louisiana Department of Education (LDE) reports an additional one
(1) Education Program Consultant 2 position would be necessary to comply with the provisions in proposed legislation, estimated to cost
$97,584 ($67,299 annual salary and $30,285 related benefits). LDE anticipates there will be additional costs to purchase software
licenses, equipment, and the professional services for continued operations of a software system to request, receive, and review CBCs.
LDE notes that many costs associated with initial development of such a system are related to Act 745 of the 2022 Regular Session, and
funding for these requirements is included in the current version of HB 1 of the 2023 Regular Session.
LDE reports the requirements of proposed legislation will increase the number of educator certification applications, and associated CBCs
received and processed by the department. LDE is authorized to collect a $25 fee for each new CBC and a $50 fee for educator
certification applications. Increases in fee collections are expected to offset the increase in costs to the department due to proposed
legislation.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
REVENUE EXPLANATION
LDE will see an increase in SGR as a result of the proposed legislation. Act 745 of the 2022 Regular Session allows LDE to charge a fee of
$25 to process CBCs. Present law allows for a 5% annual increase in the amount of the processing fee; however, whether LDE will
increase this fee annually is indeterminable. LDE also collects a $50 processing fee for each teacher certification application. The expected
increase in certification applications will result in additional fees collected. If $50 is charged for each certification application, along with a
$25 dollar fee for CBC processing, for an estimated additional 5,000 applications per year, LDE can expect an annual increase in revenues
of $375,000, beginning in FY 26. Note: CBCs will not be required to be processed until the third quarter of FY 25; therefore, in FY 24
revenue is estimated to equal $250,000 (5,000 x $50), as only fees related to certification will be collected, and in FY 25 revenue is
estimated to equal $312,500 ((5,000 x $50) + (2,500 x $25)), to account for a half year of CBC fee collections.
The Office of State Police (OSP) charges $26 for state background checks and $13.25 for federal background checks. OSP retains $2 of the
$13.25 fee charged for the federal background checks and remits the remainder to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The expected
increase in CBCs requested will result in additional fees collected by OSP. Based on the estimate associated with additional certification
applications, OSP could expect an additional $70,000 (28 x 2,500) in FY 25 and $140,000 ($28 x 5,000) in revenues per year beginning in
FY 26. OSP and local sheriffs’ offices may receive additional revenue if they provide fingerprinting services for the background checks.
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}
Evan Brasseaux
x 13.5.2 >= $500,000 Annual Tax or Fee x 6.8(G) >= $500,000 Tax or Fee Increase
Change {S & H} or a Net Fee Decrease {S} Interim Deputy Fiscal Officer
 LEGISLATIVE FISCAL OFFICE
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note On: SB 197 SLS 23RS 389
Bill Text Version: ENROLLED
Opp. Chamb. Action:
Proposed Amd.:
Sub. Bill For.:
Date: June 7, 2023 8:57 AM Author: PEACOCK
Dept./Agy.: Education
Subject: Teacher certification and criminal history record checks Analyst: Julie Silva
CONTINUED EXPLANATION from page one: Page 2 of 2
Proposed legislation expands certification pathways for teachers. LDE reports that while the actual number of new certification applications
the department can expect is indeterminable, they assume a similar impact as experienced over the last year following the implementation
of comparable expansions. LDE estimates the proposed legislation will lead to an approximate 5,000 new applications for certifications in
FY 24, and expects this increase to remain steady in future years. Based on this, the department anticipates a need for additional staff to
handle the expected increase in workload.
Proposed legislation removes the requirement that local school systems obtain a CBC before hiring employees who have been certified by
LDE. The department is required to maintain on its website a list of individuals who have had their certification denied, revoked, or
suspended. LDE does not report any additional costs to the department associated with this requirement.
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}
Evan Brasseaux
x 13.5.2 >= $500,000 Annual Tax or Fee x 6.8(G) >= $500,000 Tax or Fee Increase
Change {S & H} or a Net Fee Decrease {S} Interim Deputy Fiscal Officer


Statutes affected:
SB197 Original: 17:7(6), 17:15(B)
SB197 Engrossed: 17:7(6), 17:15(B)
SB197 Reengrossed: 17:7(6), 17:15(B), 15:1(A)
SB197 Re-Reengrossed: 17:7(6), 17:15(B), 15:1(A)
SB197 Enrolled: 17:7(6), 17:15(B), 15:1(A)
SB197 Act : 17:7(6), 17:15(B), 15:1(A)