Louisiana 2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 10 D · 6 R cosponsors

HB 256 — SCHOOLS/EMPLOYEES: Provides that school employees are subject to existing requirements pertaining to mandatory reporters, including certain training provided by the Department of Children and Family Services

Last action — Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 631.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 23, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Jeff Landry (Republican) on June 02, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 98% · high confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 16 sponsors

    1 primary, 15 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (10 D · 6 R) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

School employees must follow mandatory reporter training requirements from the Department of Children and Family Services.

This bill requires school employees to adhere to existing laws concerning mandatory reporting of certain issues. It includes specific training provided by the Department of Children and Family Services.

What this means for you
  • Workers: This means that school employees will need to complete mandatory reporter training to fulfill their responsibilities.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

15 added · 33 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the latest version of Bill HB 256, a reference to "ACT No. 631" has been removed. This change typically means that the specific laws or provisions associated with that act are no longer relevant or are being replaced by different language in this bill. Removing such references can help clarify the legislation and ensure it focuses on what’s currently needed. Overall, this change aims to streamline the bill's purpose and make it easier to understand and implement.

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HLS 26RS-687 ENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.
ENROLLED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.
256 BY REPRESENTATIVES FREEMAN, EDMONSTON, MARTINEZ, MOORE, SCHLEGEL, TAYLOR, AND WALTERS SCHOOLS/EMPLOYEES:
256 BY REPRESENTATIVES FREEMAN, BAYHAM, CARVER, CHASSION, EDMONSTON,FREIBERG,KNOX,LAFLEUR,LYONS,MARTINEZ,MOORE, MURRAY, SCHLEGEL, TAYLOR, THOMPSON, AND WALTERS AN ACT To enact R.S.
Provides that school employees are subject to existing requirements pertaining to mandatoryreporters, including certain training provided by the Department of Children and Family Services AN ACT To enact R.S.
Notwithstanding any state law, rule, or regulation to the contrary and except as may be otherwise specifically provided for in an approved charter, a charter school established and operated in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter and its approved charter and the school's officers and employees shall be Page 1 of 2 CODING:
Notwithstanding any state law, rule, or regulation to the contrary and except as may be otherwise specifically provided for in an approved charter, a charter school established and operated in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter and its approved charter and the school's officers and employees shall be exempt from all statutory mandates or other statutory requirements that are applicable to public schools and to public school officers and employees except for the following laws otherwise applicable to public schools with the same grades:
* * * Page 1 of 2 CODING:
HLS 26RS-687 ENGROSSED HB NO.
HB NO.
256 exempt from all statutory mandates or other statutory requirements that are applicable to public schools and to public school officers and employees except for the following laws otherwise applicable to public schools with the same grades:
256 ENROLLED (24) Mandatory reporter requirements, R.S.
* * * (24) Mandatory reporter requirements, R.S.
* * * DIGEST ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislative Services.
* * * SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED:
It constitutes nopart of the legislative instrument.
Page 2 of 2 CODING:
The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.
[R.S.
1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 256 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Freeman Abstract:
Provides relative to existing requirements applicable to mandatory reporters, including requirements pertaining to certain training provided by the Dept.
of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
Present law provides that the definition of a "mandatory reporter" includes a "teaching or child care provider".
Requires each teaching or child care provider to complete an online training course provided by the DCFS between June first and August 31st annually.
Requires that a record of completion of the course be provided to each entity at which the provider is employed.
Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law provides that each school employee who meets the definition of a mandatory reporter as provided in present law is subject to all present law provisions relative to mandatory reporters, including but not limited to such present law training and reporting requirements.
Proposedlawisapplicabletosuchemployeesofallpublicschools,including charter schools.
(Adds R.S.
17:421 and 3996(B)(24)) Page 2 of 2 CODING:
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Action History

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 631.

  2. Effective date: 08/01/2026.

  3. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

  4. Received from the Senate without amendments.

  5. Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

  6. Signed by the President of the Senate.

  7. Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  8. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

  9. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  10. Reported favorably.

  11. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Education.

  12. Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 99, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

  13. Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

  14. Scheduled for floor debate on 03/30/2026.

  15. Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

  16. Reported favorably (14-0).

  17. Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Education.

  18. First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

  19. Prefiled.

  20. Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Education.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 15 co-sponsors · 131 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (15)

Not signed on (131)

131 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 131 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

FINAL PASSAGE (#1217)

Passed 36 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 1000
Republican 25002
Democrat 10001
Total 36003
% of votes cast 92%0%0%8%
How each member voted (39)
Member Party Vote
Mr. President — Yea
Edward J. Price Democrat Yea
Gary Carter Democrat Yea
Gerald Boudreaux Democrat Yea
Jay Luneau Democrat Yea
Jimmy Harris Democrat Yea
Katrina R. Jackson-Andrews Democrat Yea
Larry Selders Democrat Not Voting
Regina Barrow Democrat Yea
Royce Duplessis Democrat Yea
Sam Jenkins Democrat Yea
Sidney Barthelemy II Democrat Yea
Adam Bass Republican Yea
Alan Seabaugh Republican Yea
Beth Mizell Republican Not Voting
Blake Miguez Republican Yea
Bob Hensgens Republican Yea
Brach Jerad Myers Republican Yea
Caleb Kleinpeter Republican Yea
Eddie J. Lambert Republican Yea
Franklin J. Foil Republican Yea
Glen Womack Republican Yea
Gregory A. Miller Republican Yea
Heather Cloud Republican Yea
Jeremy Stine Republican Yea
John C. "Jay" Morris Republican Yea
Jr., William "Bill" Wheat Republican Not Voting
Kirk Talbot Republican Yea
Mark Abraham Republican Yea
Michael "Big Mike" Fesi Republican Yea
Mike Reese Republican Yea
Patrick Connick Republican Yea
Patrick McMath Republican Yea
Rick Edmonds Republican Yea
Robert "Bob" Owen Republican Yea
Robert Allain Republican Yea
Stewart Jr. Cathey Republican Yea
Thomas A. Pressly Republican Yea
Valarie Hodges Republican Yea

Official roll call →

FINAL PASSAGE (#165)

Passed 99 Yea · 0 Nay · 6 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 7000
Republican 63005
Democrat 29001
Total 99006
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (105)
Member Party Vote
Mr. Speaker — Yea
Amedee — Yea
Galle — Yea
Stagni — Yea
Johnson, T. — Yea
Landry, T. — Yea
St. Blanc — Yea
Adrian Fisher Democrat Yea
Aimee Adatto Freeman Democrat Yea
Alonzo L. Knox Democrat Yea
Barbara Carpenter Democrat Yea
C. Denise Marcelle Democrat Yea
Candace N. Newell Democrat Yea
Chasity Martinez Democrat Yea
Dana Henry Democrat Yea
Delisha Boyd Democrat Yea
Ed Murray Democrat Yea
Edmond Jordan Democrat Yea
Gerald Boudreaux Democrat Yea
III, Ed Larvadain Democrat Yea
Joy Walters Democrat Yea
Jr., Kyle M. Green Democrat Yea
Ken Brass Democrat Yea
Mandie Landry Democrat Yea
Marcus Anthony Bryant Democrat Not Voting
Pat Moore Democrat Yea
Rashid Armand Young Democrat Yea
Robby Carter Democrat Yea
Rodney Lyons Democrat Yea
Roy Daryl Adams Democrat Yea
Shaun Raphael Mena Democrat Yea
Sr., Wilford Carter Democrat Yea
Steven Jackson Democrat Yea
Sylvia Elaine Taylor Democrat Yea
Tammy T. Phelps Democrat Yea
Tehmi Jahi Chassion Democrat Yea
Vanessa Caston LaFleur Democrat Yea
Annie Spell Republican Not Voting
Barbara Reich Freiberg Republican Yea
Beth Anne Billings Republican Yea
Brett F. Geymann Republican Yea
Brian Leonard Glorioso Republican Yea
Bryan Fontenot Republican Yea
Chad Michael Boyer Republican Yea
Chance Keith Henry Republican Yea
Christopher Turner Republican Yea
Danny McCormick Republican Yea
Daryl Andrew Deshotel Republican Yea
Debbie Villio Republican Yea
Dixon Wallace McMakin Republican Yea
Dodie Horton Republican Yea
Emily Chenevert Republican Yea
Foy Bryan Gadberry Republican Yea
Francis C. Thompson Republican Yea
Gregory A. Miller Republican Yea
III, Roger William Wilder Republican Yea
III, Vincent E. Cox Republican Yea
IV, Gerald "Beau" Beaullieu Republican Yea
Jack McFarland Republican Yea
Jacob Braud Republican Yea
Jacob Jules Landry Republican Yea
Jason Brian DeWitt Republican Yea
Jeffrey "Jeff" Fons Wiley Republican Yea
Jeremy LaCombe Republican Yea
Jerome Zeringue Republican Yea
Jessica Domangue Republican Yea
John E. Wyble Republican Yea
Joseph A. Orgeron Republican Yea
Josh Carlson Republican Yea
Jr., Dennis Bamburg Republican Yea
Jr., John R. Illg Republican Yea
Jr., Michael Robert Bayham Republican Not Voting
Kathy Edmonston Republican Yea
Kellee Hennessy Dickerson Republican Yea
Kim Carver Republican Yea
Kimberly Landry Coates Republican Yea
Larry A. Bagley Republican Yea
Lauren Ventrella Republican Not Voting
Laurie Schlegel Republican Yea
Les Farnum Republican Yea
Mark Wright Republican Not Voting
Michael "Gabe" Firment Republican Yea
Michael Charles Echols Republican Not Voting
Michael Melerine Republican Yea
Mike Johnson Republican Yea
Neil Riser Republican Yea
Nicholas Muscarello Republican Yea
Paul Sawyer Republican Yea
Phillip Eric Tarver Republican Yea
Polly Thomas Republican Yea
R. Dewith Carrier Republican Yea
Raymond J. Crews Republican Yea
Reese "Skip" Broussard Republican Yea
Rhonda Gaye Butler Republican Yea
Robert "Bob" Owen Republican Yea
Rodney Schamerhorn Republican Yea
Ryan Bourriaque Republican Yea
Shane Mack Republican Yea
Sr., Peter F. Egan Republican Yea
Stephanie H. Berault Republican Yea
Stephanie Hilferty Republican Yea
Timothy P. Kerner Republican Yea
Tony Bacala Republican Yea
Troy Jude Hebert Republican Yea
Wayne McMahen Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 256?
HB 256 is sponsored by Jr., Michael Robert Bayham (Republican), Francis C. Thompson (Republican), Ed Murray (Democrat), Rodney Lyons (Democrat), Vanessa Caston LaFleur (Democrat), Alonzo L. Knox (Democrat), Barbara Reich Freiberg (Republican), Tehmi Jahi Chassion (Democrat), Kim Carver (Republican), Joy Walters (Democrat), Sylvia Elaine Taylor (Democrat), Laurie Schlegel (Republican), Pat Moore (Democrat), Chasity Martinez (Democrat), Kathy Edmonston (Republican), and Aimee Adatto Freeman (Democrat).
What is the current status of HB 256?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 23, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 256?
Track HB 256 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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