State Representative Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, has authored legislation for the protection of teachers and other school employees in instances of intervention during an act of battery or aggravated battery committed by one or more students. House Bill 86 (becomes Act 56) provides immunity from civil and criminal litigation of a public school teacher, principal, or administrator for intervening to protect a student or school employee from a battery or aggravated battery unless the act of intervention was deliberately intended to harm. While current law does provide protection for school employees from being held personally liable for any act or failure to act in such instances, HB 86 goes on to provide immunity for these school employees from civil liability and from criminal prosecution.
Rep. Hodges said, “Teachers and school administrators are in a no-win situation when a fight happens because of liability if someone is injured. Classrooms have become more difficult and this bill would help provide teachers and administrators the assurance if they chose to intervene, that they will be protected from liability.”
HB 86 (now Act 56) was unanimously passed through the Louisiana House of Representatives and the Louisiana Senate. For more information on this bill and others like it, please visit the Louisiana Legislature’s website at www.legis.la.gov.
