Rep Carlson advances House Bill 466 for permanent teacher pay increases in Louisiana

The Louisiana Legislature convened on April 23, 2025, to discuss House Bill 466, introduced by Representative Carlson, which aims to provide salary increases for teachers and school employees. The bill proposes using savings from the state's payment of certain unfunded accrued liabilities of the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) to fund these raises.

Representative Carlson explained that this initiative is a continuation of efforts from the previous year, linking it to a constitutional amendment that was recently on the ballot. The bill seeks to allocate approximately $2,000 for teachers and $1,000 for non-certified personnel, contingent upon the successful passage of a related constitutional amendment.

Chairwoman Emerson supported Carlson's bill, emphasizing its focus on facilitating a permanent pay raise for educators. She noted that feedback from the community indicated a preference for addressing these issues individually rather than as part of a larger amendment. Emerson also mentioned that the anticipated savings from the debt payment to TRSL might be greater than initially expected, which could benefit more school districts than previously thought.

Several representatives expressed their support for the bill, highlighting its importance in providing a stable and permanent salary increase for teachers. Representative Fryberg remarked that the bill aligns with the original intent of previous legislation aimed at addressing teacher compensation.

Concerns were raised regarding charter schools and their participation in the salary increases, to which Carlson assured that all teachers, including those in charter schools, would receive the proposed pay raise.

The meeting also included discussions about the fiscal implications of the bill, with representatives seeking clarity on how the savings would be calculated and distributed among school districts. Danny Garrett from the Louisiana School Board Association raised questions about the potential loss of revenue from eliminated trust funds and how that would affect the overall financial landscape for schools.

An amendment to the bill was introduced, which simply added the bill number for the constitutional amendment it is tied to, and was adopted without objection.

The meeting concluded with a sense of urgency to move the bill forward, as representatives recognized the critical need for improved teacher compensation in Louisiana's education system. The next steps will involve further discussions and potential votes on the bill as it progresses through the legislative process.