Louisiana § RS 24:973.1 - Legislative Youth Advisory Council; purpose, membership, duties, administration, report, and student privacy

§ RS 24:973.1. Legislative Youth Advisory Council; purpose, membership, duties, administration, report, and 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 thirty-one members appointed by the Louisiana Commission on Civic Education as follows:

            (a) Three members shall be appointed from each congressional district and the remaining members from the state at large in a manner which reflects the diversity of the state to the greatest extent practicable.

            (b) Members shall be selected pursuant to an application process as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection and shall possess the qualifications as provided in Subsection C of this Section.

            (c) The commission shall select members to the council from among youths recommended by any of the following:

            (i) A school administrator, teacher, or representative of an approved home study program or a general education development skills program.

            (ii) An adult representative of 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.

            (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 advisors to 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.

            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 June 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) The chairman of the Louisiana Commission on Civic Education shall call the first meeting of the council after selection of members each year.

            (b) Officers shall be elected at the first meeting of the council each calendar year, including a president who shall serve as chair, and a vice president, secretary, communications officer, and historian. All officers shall be elected by the 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 members of the council for the remainder of the unexpired term.

            (2) Members of the council shall serve without compensation, except each appointed legislator advisor shall receive mileage and per diem from his respective house 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) Legislative staff shall provide staffing 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; Acts 2012, No. 803, §5; Acts 2014, No. 444, §1; Acts 2016, No. 164, §1, eff. May 19, 2016.