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Regular Session, 2011
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 86
BY REPRESENTATIVE HUTTER
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To urge and request the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Abuse to appoint and
convene a task force to evaluate existing court-approved domestic abuse intervention
programs across the state, to study similar programs in other states to determine
responsible, evidence-based best practices in the field of domestic abuse
intervention, and to report to the Louisiana Legislature its findings and
recommendations relative to the development of minimum standards for domestic
abuse intervention programs in this state.
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature has long recognized the need to protect the
health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of this state; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature recognizes the need of Louisiana citizens to
feel safe in their own homes and recognizes that too often Louisiana residents are abused by
the people with whom they are most closely associated; and
WHEREAS, in June of 2010, Louisiana had the highest rate of domestic violence
related homicides in the nation; and
WHEREAS, from 1997 through 2009, eight hundred ninety-two people died in
domestic violence incidents and ninety percent of those homicides were committed by
someone the victim was familiar with, and, in fact, the majority of the murders were
committed by the victim's current intimate partner or spouse; and
WHEREAS, in research conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
it was estimated that health-related costs of domestic violence exceed eight billion three
hundred million dollars annually; and
WHEREAS, according to a study by the United States Department of Labor, spouses
and intimate partners lose eight million work days to domestic violence every year, which
is equivalent to cutting thirty-two thousand one hundred fourteen jobs from the economy;
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WHEREAS, it has been estimated by the Bureau of National Affairs that domestic
violence costs employers over five billion dollars annually in the form of increased health
care costs, absenteeism, reduced productivity, and related security costs; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature recognizes the need to assist victims of
domestic abuse battery, and in order to prevent future incidents of domestic violence, to
provide assistance to the offender as well; and
WHEREAS, Louisiana law currently requires a domestic abuse battery offender to
participate in a court-approved domestic abuse intervention program; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature recognizes the importance of ensuring that
these programs utilize responsible intervention methods and employ proven methods and
evidence-based best practices used in this state and other states to reduce the incidents of
domestic violence; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature recognizes the necessity of providing
effective domestic abuse intervention programs which directly address the issues and needs
of the offender while maintaining a focus on the violent behavior of the offender and the
safety of the victim; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature recognizes the need for the development of
minimum standards and qualifications for court-approved domestic abuse intervention
programs in this state which will help to define the program structure, format, content, and
techniques, to aid practitioners in designing new programs or adapting changes to existing
programs, and to act as a guide for court systems when deciding which programs are
appropriate for court referral; and
WHEREAS, in developing these standards, it is necessary that the Louisiana
Coalition Against Domestic Abuse evaluate the existing court-approved domestic abuse
intervention programs across the state, and to study similar programs in other states to help
determine responsible, evidence-based best practices in the field of domestic abuse
intervention.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence to appoint and convene
a task force, to be known as the "Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence Task
Force", to evaluate existing court-approved domestic abuse intervention programs across the ENROLLEDHCR NO. 86
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state, to study similar programs in other states to determine responsible, evidence-based best
practices in the field of domestic abuse intervention, and to report to the Committee on the
Administration of Criminal Justice of the Louisiana House of Representatives and the
Committee on Judiciary B of the Senate its findings and recommendations relative to the
development of minimum standards for domestic abuse intervention programs in this state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Abuse
Task Force shall include representation of the following entities: the Department of
Children and Family Services; the Department of Health and Hospitals, office of public
health; the Department of Public Safety and Corrections; the Department of Public Safety
and Corrections, office of juvenile justice; the Louisiana District Attorneys Association; the
Louisiana Public Defender Board; the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association; the Louisiana
Association of Chiefs of Police; the Louisiana Commission on Marriage and Family; the
Women's Policy and Research Commission; the District Judges Association; and any other
agency or entities which the department deems appropriate.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Abuse
Task Force report its findings and recommendations to the Committee on the Administration
of Criminal Justice of the Louisiana House of Representatives and the Committee on
Judiciary B of the Senate prior to the convening of the 2012 Regular Session of the
Legislature of Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Abuse.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE