Louisiana SB 445: FUNDS/FUNDING: Provides relative to the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund. (gov sig) (OR SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Bill Text

SLS 26RS-980 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 445
BY SENATOR PRESSLY
FUNDS/FUNDING. Provides relative to the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund.
(gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:407.30(B) and (D)(1)(a) and R.S. 39:82(J), relative to funding
3 for early childhood education; to provide relative to the Louisiana Early Childhood
4 Education Fund; to provide relative to deposits into the fund; to provide for the
5 remission of cash balances to the state treasurer at the close of each fiscal year; to
6 provide for exceptions; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related
7 matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 17:407.30(B) and (D)(1)(a) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
10 as follows:
11 §407.30. Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund
12 A. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special fund to be known as
13 the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund, hereafter in this Section referred to
14 as the "fund".
15 B. After satisfying the requirements of the Bond Security and
16 Redemption Fund as provided in Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution
17 of Louisiana, except as otherwise provided by law, monies shall be deposited
Page 1 of 4
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SB NO. 445
SLS 26RS-980 ORIGINAL
1 into the fund as follows:
2 (1) The avails of the monies provided for in R.S. 39:82(J).
3 (2) Beginning July 1, 2027, at the beginning of each fiscal year, the state
4 treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to transfer from the state general
5 fund the difference between thirty million dollars and the unencumbered
6 balance in the fund at the beginning of the fiscal year immediately prior. In no
7 event shall any such deposit be greater than thirty million dollars in any given
8 fiscal year. Monies shall be utilized for the purpose of matching one-to-one
9 grants provided for in this Section that have received the approval of the Board
10 of Elementary and Secondary Education.
11 (3) Any appropriations, public or private grants, gifts, or donations received
12 by the state or the Department of Education for the purposes of this Section, other
13 than federal funds for the Child Care and Development Fund Program, shall also be
14 credited to the fund.
15 * * *
16 D.(1)(a) The fund shall be administered by the State Board of Elementary and
17 Secondary Education. Subject to legislative appropriation, monies Monies in the
18 fund shall be awarded annually to local entities approved by the board for the
19 purpose of funding projects that will expand the number of early childhood care and
20 education quality slots for families who are eligible for the Child Care Assistance
21 Program in Type III early learning centers that have at least one classroom with
22 children age fifteen months or younger if a local entity provides funds from nonstate
23 and nonfederal sources. No such award shall be made unless the local entity's
24 financial commitment to the project proposed for funding provides matching funds
25 from nonstate and nonfederal sources at a rate of at least one-to-one.
26 * * *
27 Section 2. R.S. 39:82(J) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
28 §82. Remission of cash balances to the state treasurer; authorized withdrawals of
29 state monies after the close of the fiscal year; reports
Page 2 of 4
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SB NO. 445
SLS 26RS-980 ORIGINAL
1 * * *
2 J. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, the office of behavioral
3 health, Louisiana Department of Health, may retain any unexpended funds in
4 accordance with the provisions of R.S. 28:26 the treasurer shall deposit all cash
5 balances of any state funds occurring from any appropriations made by
6 legislative act or the Interim Emergency Board to the Department of Education
7 at the end of each fiscal year into the Louisiana Early Childhood Education
8 Fund. Provided, however, the provisions of this Subsection shall not apply to
9 any dedicated funds that would otherwise be retained by the respective funds
10 or state funds for which a bona fide liability exists on the last day of each fiscal
11 year.
12 * * *
13 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
14 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without the
15 signature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of
16 Louisiana. If vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act
17 shall become effective on the say following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Senate Legislative Services.
The keyword, summary, and digest do no