Louisiana schools bar contracts with certain foreign groups

Education agencies must not knowingly contract with covered foreign groups or their agents. Providers and vendors must not knowingly subcontract with them. Education agencies include state and local education bodies, early learning centers, and other state agencies with authority over education from early childhood through secondary school. The rules cover people and organizations providing education, operational, or management services, and vendors selling goods, services, or technology directly to an agency. Knowingly acting as an agent, proxy, or contractor of a covered group, or giving one material support or funds, makes a person ineligible to contract with an education agency or its primary contractor. The act took effect when the governor signed it on June 8, 2026.

When an education agency learns that a provider or vendor is a covered foreign group or its agent, it must notify the attorney general and suspend payments pending review. This applies to education service providers and educational product vendors found ineligible under these rules. The provider or vendor may use the administrative and legal review rights available under the Louisiana Procurement Code or Public Bid Law, whichever applies. If the provider or vendor is found ineligible, it must return payments received on or after it became ineligible. Any recoverable debt not returned goes to the attorney general and the state debt recovery office for collection. The payment pause starts when the agency learns of the covered status and lasts while due process review is pending.

Education agencies must include a notice and a promise to follow these rules in covered contracts. The requirement applies to all contracts with education service providers and vendors of educational products. The contract must state that prohibited conduct will lead to immediate payment suspension and may lead to debt collection under these rules. The contract notice requirement begins July 1, 2026.