District 11 State Senator Jack Donahue (R-Covington) recently joined Governor Bobby Jindal along with concerned parents and other stakeholders for a special bill signing ceremony at the Governor's Mansion in Baton Rouge. The ceremony centered on Senate Bill 59 which requires state education officials to prepare and adopt rules regarding the appropriate use of restraints and seclusion in response to the behavior of students with exceptionalities, limiting and defining the use of such actions in an educational setting.  The new law also requires schools to notify parents of any incident in which restraint or seclusion of their child is used.

Governor Jindal praised Sen. Donahue for his leadership on this issue, noting his untiring efforts to bring all stakeholders together to agree on a process for protecting the safety and well-being of children with developmental disabilities in an educational environment. Advocates for the developmentally disabled also noted Sen. Donahue's efforts to work with them to address the issue with Louisiana leading the way on legislation to protect the safety of our most vulnerable children.

"I just want to thank Governor Jindal for his assistance and support of this effort," Sen. Donahue said. "I believe this legislation will go a long way to empower parents and to make sure that all students have the safe, good learning environment that they deserve."

With the ability to introduce only five bills of a general nature at the 2011 Regular Session, Sen. Donahue chose to make Senate Bill 59 a priority for Louisiana's families and children. Senate Bill 59 becomes Act 328 of the 2011 Regular Legislative Session.