2025 Legislative Session Outcome
Act 479 – Updates to Louisiana’s Restraint and Seclusion Law
Act 479 made significant changes to Louisiana’s laws governing the use of restraint and seclusion for students with disabilities. It requires cameras to be installed in all defined special education classrooms by February 1, 2026, and establishes new Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) and CIT teams to promote safer, more effective crisis responses. The Act also introduces a new definition of physical restraint, updates incident reporting and parental notification requirements, and mandates that principals review footage when an incident occurs in a camera-monitored area. Additionally, parents must be notified if a camera in their child’s classroom will be nonfunctional for more than two consecutive school days.
Act 479 (PowerPoint)
Act 479 (Law)
Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) Funding
Secured $4 million in State General Funds (SGF) for LRS, which was matched with federal funds for a total of $14 million to enhance employment and support services for individuals with disabilities.
Louisiana Rehabilitation Services
Nursing Services for HCBS Providers
Secured $2.9 million in State General Funds (SGF) to support nursing services for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) providers under the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD).
Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities
People First Contract
We were able to reinstate funding for the People First contract, ensuring continued support for self-advocacy, leadership development, and empowerment for individuals with disabilities across Louisiana.
2025 Legislative Policy Fact Sheets
Education: Improving Seclusion and Restraint Policies
On December 11, 2024, the Legislative Auditor Report released an audit evaluating LDOE’s oversight of the use of seclusion and restraint for students with disabilities, as well as an evaluation of Louisiana’s laws and regulations related to abuse and neglect of students with disabilities. The report highlighted many concerns advocates have shared with LDOE and BESE over the years and clearly shows how the lack of monitoring and oversight of special education services has left students with disabilities vulnerable to abuse and neglect.
Education Seclusion and Restraint Fact Sheet
Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS): Fully Fund Louisiana Rehabilitation Services
Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) assists persons with disabilities in obtaining, maintaining, and advancing employment. When funds are matched, LRS can serve more people. For every dollar that the state commits to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), LRS can draw down approximately $3.69 in Federal funds. Over the past 18 years, Louisiana Rehabilitation Services has not received full state funding, leaving people with disabilities unable to get help and our federal match dollars being given to other states.
Nursing Rate: Nursing Service Code & Reimbursement
Over the past several years we have worked with Representative Turner and Representative Miller to address the changes in nursing delegation and the rising cost to providers to hire and pay for a registered nurse. These two resolutions studied the actual costs of providing nursing services and urged the Louisiana Department of Health to develop a professional consulting nursing service code for the New Opportunities Waiver (NOW) and Residential Options Waiver (ROW) programs as well as for residents of intermediate care facilities for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ICF/IIDs). What was once a covered service for people with disabilities, unfortunately it is no longer available. The number of people who require these services has increased after the closure of 8 state-run facilities that serve individuals with high medical needs. In addition, the population of people with disabilities continues to age, and providers are relying more on nurses to meet the demanding needs of the individuals with no way to cover these increased costs.
People First of Louisiana: Reinstate Funding for People First of Louisiana
In 1997, the Louisiana Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities provided funding to promote self-advocacy for people with disabilities. “People First” chapters, comprised only of people with disabilities, were started across Louisiana. People First of Louisiana has at least one chapter in every region of the state and is committed to the self-advocacy movement in Louisiana. It is the oldest and largest statewide self-advocacy organization in Louisiana. It has been the vehicle for providing people with disabilities with a statewide presence, serving on boards, workgroups, and committees representing people with disabilities across the state. Recently, we learned that funding for People First was completely cut due to the efficiency cut. This means that People First will not have any funding to operate.
People First Reinstatement of Funds Fact Sheet