Bill filed to allow voters to elect state education superintendent

Voters should have the power to choose the state’s chief educator, according to state Sen. Bob Kostelka. The Times-Picayune reports the Monroe Republican filed a bill last week calling for a constitutional amendment that would require the statewide election of the education superintendent. “[Senate Bill 41] is simply to give the people a choice of whether or not they want to elect their superintendent of education,” Kostelka says. The bill will be considered in the legislative session that begins April 8. He notes it is particularly important to leave the choice to voters since so much of the state’s budget—over 40% of the general fund—goes to the Department of Education. The department has been headed by Superintendent John White since his appointment in January 2012. Under current law, the superintendent of education is appointed by BESE, and then approved by a two-thirds vote of both houses of the Legislature. Kostelka’s bill, if passed by two-thirds of both houses, would require a constitutional amendment to be included on the 2014 ballot, asking voters: “Do you support an amendment to require the statewide election of the state superintendent of education?” If the amendment passes, Louisianans would vote for the new superintendent in the 2015 election. The newly elected representative would take office on Jan. 10, 2016. You can find the full story here; and see the bill in its entirety here.