Roger Williams spent many long days in the state Capitol this year, taking time off work and away from his children to plead his case to lawmakers. He testified repeatedly that private preschools, like the one where he says his daughter was harmed by another student, must be better regulated.

But when Williams returned to the Capitol in August, it was to celebrate.

“We did it,” he told a child abuse task force after the legislation he'd championed, Act 409, had been signed into law. “This law is not just words on paper — it’s a shield for Louisiana’s children.”

The sweeping 32-page law regulates hiring and training, child supervision and abuse reporting at daycares and preschools. It requires pre-K programs at private schools to obtain a daycare center license — a lengthy process in

See Full Page