2011 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 24 — Legislature and laws
RS 24:973.1 — Legislative youth advisory council; purpose, membership, duties, administration, report, student privacy

§973.1. Legislative Youth Advisory Council; purpose, membership, duties, administration, report, student privacy

A. Purpose. The Legislative Youth Advisory Council, hereinafter referred to as "council," is hereby established to examine and facilitate communication between youth and the legislature regarding issues of importance to youth, including but not limited to education, employment, strategies to increase youth participation in local and state government, safe environments for youth, substance abuse, underage drinking, emotional and physical health, poverty, litter and environmental control, driver's licenses, and youth access to state and local services.

B. Membership. (1) The council shall consist of the following youth members:

(a)(i) Members appointed to represent youth within a congressional district. Two youth members shall be appointed by the Louisiana Commission on Civic Education from each congressional district in a manner which reflects the diversity of the state to the greatest extent practicable pursuant to an application process as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection. Youth members shall possess the qualifications as provided in Subsection C of this Section.

(ii) The commission shall select members to the council pursuant to this Subparagraph from among youths recommended by any school administrator, teacher, or representative of an approved home study program or a general education development skills program.

(iii) In the event two qualified applicants cannot be found to represent a particular congressional district, in lieu of directly filling any such vacancy, the commission may select a qualified applicant from among youths nominated by a school club or community organization, as provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, to serve as an at-large member in order to ensure full membership on the council.

(b)(i) Members nominated by certain school clubs and community organizations. Up to seven youths may serve as members nominated by a school-sponsored club or community organization which has a mission that supports the ideals of character, leadership, and service; encourages mutual respect and instills civic responsibility; builds courage and confidence among young people through community participation; or promotes the principles of representative democracy, in an effort to build stronger communities by increasing civic engagement among youth.

(ii) If the number of clubs or organizations eligible for and making a request to participate exceeds seven, the members shall be selected in the same manner and pursuant to the application process, specified in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, as provided for the selection of other members by the commission.

(iii) Any club or organization that meets the qualifications of this Subparagraph may submit one name to the commission, along with a letter of recommendation from an adult representative of the club or organization from which the youth is nominated and a letter of recommendation from a school administrator, teacher, or representative of an approved home study program or general education development skills program.

(2) The application form and process for membership on the council shall be developed and approved by the commission.

(3) The following persons shall serve as advisory, nonvoting members of the council:

(a) A member of the Senate, appointed by the president.

(b) A member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker.

(c) The chairman of the Louisiana Commission on Civic Education.

(d) The state superintendent of education, or his designee.

(e) Up to seven persons, as may be designated by the commission, who have completed high school and are nineteen years of age or younger.

(f) A representative of the Council of Student Body Presidents.

C. Qualifications of youth members. Each member of the council shall:

(1) Be a resident of Louisiana.

(2) Be a student aged fourteen through nineteen.

(3) Be enrolled and attending a Louisiana high school in the ninth, tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade; participating in a home study program approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education; or participating in a general education development skills program as defined by policy adopted by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

D. Terms of office. Members shall serve a term of one year and may be reappointed for a subsequent term, provided that they are eligible at the time of reappointment. However, no member of the council shall serve more than two consecutive terms.

E. Duties. The council shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

(1) To identify the concerns and needs of youth, and to advise and make recommendations to members of the legislature on proposed or pending legislation and on policy matters related to youth.

(2) To collect, analyze, and provide information to the Senate and House committees on education and any other legislative committees, commissions, and task forces on issues related to youth.

(3) To participate in an annual seminar prior to the school year for council members regarding leadership, government, and the legislature.

(4) To hold at least one public hearing each year for the purpose of receiving youth comment on issues of importance to youth and such other meetings at the call of the council chair.

(5) To submit an annual report by May thirtieth of each year of its activities, including any recommendations for proposed legislation, to the governor, the Senate and House committees on education, and the commission.

F. Council administration. (1)(a) There shall be a legislative chair and a youth chair of the council; however, the chairman of the Louisiana Commission on Civic Education shall call the first meeting of the council and shall serve as co-chair during the first year. Thereafter, the responsibility for presiding as a co-chair of the council shall rotate annually between the two advisory members from the Senate and the House of Representatives.

(b) Youth officers shall be elected at the first meeting of each calendar year, including a president who shall serve as co-chair, and a vice president, secretary, communications officer, and historian. All officers shall be elected by the voting members of the council and shall serve for a term of one year. Any vacancy in an office shall be filled with an election by the voting members of the council for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(2) Members of the council shall serve without compensation, except legislative advisory members shall receive mileage and per diem at the rate established by the legislature when attending meetings of the council.

(3) Meetings of the council shall be open to the public.

(4) The council shall set priorities and may establish any committees as may be necessary in connection with the exercise of its functions.

(5) Council members shall review and consider the procedures and rules used by the legislature as such may be appropriate for use as models for the council.

(6) The legislative staff of the Louisiana Commission on Civic Education shall provide staff assistance to the council.

G. Confidentiality. Other than the name of an applicant, information contained in the application form of any person under the age of eighteen applying for membership on the council shall be confidential and shall not be subject to disclosure. However, the commission may use the information on application forms to develop summary or statistical data which contains no personally identifiable information. The summary or statistical data containing no personally identifiable information shall be subject to disclosure in the manner provided for public records in R.S. 44:1 et seq.

Acts 2007, No. 118, §1, eff. July 1, 2007; Acts 2008, No. 765, §1, eff. July 6, 2008; Acts 2010, No. 670, §1, eff. June 29, 2010.

NOTE: See Acts 2010, No. 670, §2, in re effectiveness of provisions.