HB 1203

ENROLLED
 2026 Regular Session
  ACT No. 885
 HOUSE BILL NO. 1203
 BY REPRESENTATIVES EDMONSTON, AMEDEE, BROUSSARD, CARLSON,
  CARPENTER, CARVER, MARTINEZ, OWEN, TARVER, AND TAYLOR
1AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact the Chapter heading of Chapter 43-B of Title 17 of the Louisiana
3Revised Statutes of 1950 and R.S. 17:4036.1(A) and (B) and to enact R.S. 17:236.4
4and 407.35(D), relative to associations of parents; to provide for parental choice in
5education; to prohibit restricting the use of a home or commercial establishment by
6parents participating in a parent-driven learning microschool under certain
7circumstances; to define parent-driven learning microschools; to provide for public
8school learning pods; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for an effective
9date; and to provide for related matters.
10 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11Section 1. The legislature finds all of the following:
12(1) Parent-driven learning microschools operate as voluntary associations of parents
13 who choose to come together for the purpose of educating their children, and such
14 associations are protected by parental rights and the freedom of association.
15(2) The state has a legitimate interest in ensuring that children have access to
16 educational opportunities while also respecting the rights of parents to select and participate
17 in educational environments that best serve their children.
18(3) Parent-driven learning microschools are intended solely to provide additional
19 educational opportunities and support services for parents who choose educational options
20 for their children that are conducted in nontraditional educational settings.
21(4) The purpose of this Act is to protect the freedom of parents to form and
22 participate in associations that educate their children and ensure that state law does not
23 unduly restrict parental choice in education.
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 HB NO. 1203  ENROLLED
1(5) Article 101 of the Louisiana Children's Code declares that "(t)he people
2of Louisiana recognize the family as the most fundamental unit of human society;
3that preserving families is essential to a free society; that the relationship between
4parent and child is preeminent in establishing and maintaining the well-being of the
5child; that parents have the responsibility for providing the basic necessities of life
6as well as love and affection to their children; that parents have the paramount right
7to raise their children in accordance with their own values and traditions; that parents
8should make the decisions regarding where and with whom the child shall reside, the
9educational, moral, ethical, and religious training of the child…"
10Section 2. The Chapter heading of Chapter 43-B of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised
11 Statutes of 1950 and R.S. 17:4036.1(A) and (B) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
12 17:236.4 and 407.35(D) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
13§236.4. Parent-driven learning microschools
14A.(1)   If a building has met the occupancy requirements as a home,
15commercial establishment, or other classification of occupancy, then the use, rental,
16lease, or otherwise lawful possession of the building, whether in whole or in part, by
17a parent-driven learning microschool shall not alter or change the zoning or
18occupancy classification of the building or subject the building to any additional
19building code requirements or fire safety regulations due to the fact that parents are
20making use of all or part of the building as a parent-driven learning microschool.
21(2) No governmental agency shall take any of the following actions against
22a parent who participates in a parent-driven learning microschool or against the
23parent-driven learning microschool:
24(a) Restrict or deny the use of the building by parents or children, regardless
25of age, for the same or similar purposes as provided in R.S. 13:5233.1(A)(4),
26regardless of the day of the week, time, or number of hours of the day, or require
27compliance with Part X-B of Chapter 1 of this Title or any other provision of this
28Title.
29(b) Require that a parent-driven learning microschool register or otherwise
30report to any governmental agency.
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1B. As used in this Section, the following definitions shall apply:
2(1) "Governmental agency" shall have the same meaning as "government"
3or "governmental agency" as defined in R.S. 13:5234.
4(2) "Parent-driven learning microschool" means a voluntary association of
5parents who choose to group their children together, regardless of age, for
6educational or instructional activities conducted at mutually agreed-upon times and
7days, and which may include compensated or uncompensated parents, tutors, or
8instructors, for the purpose of providing a personalized learning experience for each
9student, and that meets all of the following requirements:
10(a) Students in multiple grade levels participate for part or all of the school
11week, regardless of the time of day or regardless of the week or month of the year.
12(b) Instruction occurs in a home, community space, library, learning center,
13or other nontraditional educational setting.
14C.(1) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to modify, supersede, or
15otherwise affect the laws governing religious educational programs conducted in
16churches or other religious institutions as provided in R.S. 13:5233.1.
17(2) Nothing in this Subpart shall be construed to supersede, limit, or diminish
18the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United
19States, Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution of Louisiana, or the Preservation of
20Religious Freedom Act, R.S. 13:5231 et seq., all of which shall prevail in the event
21of any conflict with any provision of this Section.
22*       *  *
23§407.35. Exemptions from licensure requirements
24*       *  *
25D. Nothing in this Part shall apply to a parent-driven learning microschool,
26as provided in R.S. 17:236.4, or a religious education activity, as provided in R.S.
2713:5233.1.
28*       *  *
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 HB NO. 1203  ENROLLED
1CHAPTER 43-B. PUBLIC SCHOOL LEARNING PODS
2§4036.1. Learning Public school learning pods
3A.(1) Each public school governing authority may establish public school
4learning pods as an extension of any school under its jurisdiction.
5(2) For purposes of this Chapter, "public school learning pod" means a group
6of at least ten students enrolled in the school who receive instruction in a small group
7setting.
8B. A student shall be assigned to a public school learning pod only if the
9assignment is requested by his parent or authorized by his parent upon the
10recommendation of school officials.
11*       *  *
12Section 3. The Louisiana State Law Institute is hereby directed, pursuant to its
13 statutory authority, to make any technical changes necessary to change all references in R.S.
14 17:4036.1 from "learning pods" to "public school learning pods" and to redesignate and
15 reletter the Subsections in R.S. 17:4036.1in order to conform the terminology and lettering
16 of the provisions of this Act.
17Section 4. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
18 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
19 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
20 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
21 effective on the day following such approval.
  SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
  GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
 APPROVED:
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