Latest news with #RickEdmonds
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill to create St. George Community School System passes House
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The bill to create a school system for the City of St. George has passed the House on Wednesday. SB 25 and SB 234, both authored by Sen. Rick Edmonds, are aimed at creating the St. George Community School System and treating it as a parish school district. SB 25 would allow the created school system the ability to participate in the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) state funding formula, get free teaching materials from the state and levy local taxes for school funding. If the bill becomes a law, the school system would begin operating schools on July 1, 2027. SB 234 is the implementation plan, showing a breakdown of how the school system would operate. The school board will be made up of seven appointed interim members and one appointed interim superintendent. A more permanent board will be elected and can serve four-year concurrent terms. All public school property, including buses, within the City of St. George border would be transferred from the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board by June 30, 2027. Students will have the option to remain at their current schools after the split, depending on the student's grade level. East Baton Rouge must cooperate in transferring records, assets, and access to facilities. Until June 30, 2027, East Baton Rouge Parish will collect all sales, use, and property taxes before the City of St. George takes over on July 1, 2027. Louisiana bill on Baton Rouge blight moves forward More people speak out against Clinton tax preparer accused of fraud AI may cut drug discovery time, says scientific software leader Keeping pets safe in the summer heat: Local experts share tips May Street closures in effect, Baton Rouge residents concerned with traffic congestion Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bill to put St. George school system on a ballot advances in House Committee
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A bill that paves the way for the newly formed city of St. George to operate its own school system has moved forward in the Regular Legislative Session. Senate Bill 25 passed out of the Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday. 'All Senate Bill 25 does as a companion bill is it gives it an election date in April so that people can vote on it,' said Senator Rick Edmonds (R-Baton Rouge). The companion bill he's referring to is Senate Bill 234. That bill would actually create the St. George school board and system within the parish of East Baton Rouge. That bill still must go through the Committee on Education. In terms of legislative progress, SB 234 has a few more hurdles to clear. Tuesday opponents of SB 25 told committee members it would ultimately divert millions of dollars away from Baton Rouge schools, and they believe passing it now was 'putting the cart before the horse.' Senator Edmonds rejected the suggestion to defer his bill until SB 234 is passed through committee, saying it's not uncommon to pass legislation out of order. 'We do it all the time, it's the timeline we get under that we have to pass companion bills, this bill still has to go to civil laws, the language has to be approved. So if you just look at the timing of legislation, those are things that happen all the time,' said Edmonds. SB 25 passed out of the Appropriations Committee on a 15 to 2 vote. SB 234 is a constitutional amendment, so it must ultimately go before the voter before becoming law. Edmonds is hopeful to have it on the ballot for an April 2026 election. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Funding issues delay City of St. George school district creation bill
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Plans to create a new school district for the City of St. George were delayed after the East Baton Rouge Parish School System (EBRPSS) raised objections, prompting lawmakers to defer the bill. Senate Bills 25 and 234, authored by Sen. Rick Edmonds and Rep. Emily Chenevert, seek to allow St. George to break away and form its own school district. The board said it doesn't oppose voters having a say. However, members worry that the current bills would put 'unfair burdens' on the school system. At the heart of the board's opposition is a $360 million unfunded liability for retiree health and life insurance benefits. The resolution states that SB 234 doesn't clearly explain how to manage this debt if the new district forms. This leaves EBRPSS with all the financial responsibility. The resolution also criticizes a part of SB 234. This part would let students from the new St. George district access EBR magnet programs forever. Board members say this would reduce chances for EBR students. Many magnet programs already have long waiting lists. In the resolution, the board said this bill would lock in an unequal system and take control away from both districts. It passed during a special meeting Monday night. On Tuesday, Edmonds asked the House Education Committee to temporarily defer consideration of SB 234. SB 25, which passed 8-2 in committee, suggests a constitutional change to fund the new district. However, the board wants lawmakers to delay both bills until they amend SB 234 to address their concerns. The resolution tells the board's general counsel to send copies to all members of the East Baton Rouge legislative delegation as the bills go to debate in the House. Lifeguard shortage delays opening of Liberty Lagoon New Hampshire bakery wins free speech case over a painting of doughnuts, pastries NOAA predicts above average 2025 hurricane season: How many storms US could see Baton Rouge youth choir talks about going viral, new album releasing this summer SCHEDULE | Race day for the Indianapolis 500 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Louisiana Senate committee approves bills for St. George school district; EBR warns of $140M hit
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A Louisiana Senate committee approved two bills Wednesday that would pave the way for the creation of an independent school district and board in the newly incorporated city of St. George. Sen. Rick Edmonds (R-Baton Rouge) authored the legislation, Senate Bill 234 and its companion measure, Senate Bill 25—both of which cleared the Senate Committee on Education. SB 234 outlines the structure and transition for the proposed St. George Community School System, while SB 25 is a constitutional amendment that must be approved by voters statewide to grant the district full authority. St. George Mayor Dustin Yates told the committee the proposal fulfills one of the city's core promises: providing stronger educational options for families. 'This has always been about putting our kids first,' he said. SB 234 would create the legal framework for a new school system and school board within the city limits of St. George, which became Louisiana's fifth-largest city after winning a 2024 Louisiana Supreme Court decision to incorporate. If passed, the school system would begin operations on July 1, 2027, following a multi-year transition process. The bill proposes the governor appoint an interim superintendent and a seven-member interim school board, drawn from local nominations by legislators. That board would draft district maps and establish governance plans before the first election of board members. Louisiana released school scores. Did your local schools make the grade? SB 234 also outlines how students, buildings, school buses, funding, and other resources would be transferred from the East Baton Rouge Parish School System to the St. George system. The two systems would be required to enter agreements allowing continued access to magnet and charter programs and ensuring state and local education funding follows the student. SB 25, the constitutional amendment, would appear on the Nov. 15, 2025 statewide ballot. If approved by voters, it would give the St. George district the same constitutional authority granted to parish school systems, including the ability to collect property taxes and receive state education funding through the Minimum Foundation Program. But not everyone supports the move. Dadrius Lanus, who represents District 2 on the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, warned of the potential financial blow to EBR Schools. He said the system could lose $140 million in local revenue to St. George. 'We have done everything possible to fix a lot of concerns and the problems that you've heard today for the very reason why St. George wants to break away,' Lanus said, pointing to the district's ongoing realignment plan that includes school closures and consolidations affecting over 10,000 students. The plan is scheduled to go before the school board in May for final approval. The St. George school system proposal has been years in the making. A similar plan was proposed more than a decade ago but failed to move forward due to challenges with funding and the inability to pass a constitutional amendment. The latest proposal resolves many of those past concerns, according to Edmonds, including issues with district boundaries. Trump signals shift in tone on China tariffs Trump signs executive orders on school discipline, education reform Louisiana Senate committee approves bills for St. George school district; EBR warns of $140M hit How will RFK Jr.'s autism data collection work? Trump adding two 'beautiful' flagpoles to White House grounds as part of his 'touches' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Week in Louisiana Politics: amendments, tariffs, and goodbye
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — On This Week in Louisiana Politics, the fallout of all four amendments failing in the March 29 election is ongoing. Republican leaders are now scrambling to determine what the budget priorities are going to be amid a budget shortfall. Democrats are pushing for teachers to get their pay stipends. Louisiana Sen. Rick Edmonds and Treasurer John Fleming created a website to show where schools are spending their money and how much they're taking in. With President Donald Trump's tariffs kicking in, local businesses are concerned about how this will impact their bottom line. Plus, lawmakers on the Hill are trying to find a way to put a stop to them before the economy takes a nosedive. Later, Fred Childers sits down with Political Reporter Shannon Heckt one more time as she is set to move on to her next chapter. Which airports had the most delays and cancellations in 2024? Baton Rouge joins nationwide 'Hands Off!' rally against Trump administration Which Atlantic hurricane names have been retired? This Week in Louisiana Politics: amendments, tariffs, and goodbye Al Green says he'll present articles of impeachment against Trump in next 30 days Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
