HLS 12RS-2850 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 105
BY REPRESENTATIVE LORUSSO
VETERANS: Requests the La. Dept. of Veterans Affairs to study the feasibility of Veterans
Treatment Courts
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs to study Veterans2
Treatment Courts and the feasibility of creating and implementing such courts in the3
state of Louisiana.4
WHEREAS, military veterans have served their country and this great state; and 5
WHEREAS, as a result of their service, many veterans suffer combat-related trauma6
and experience a higher rate of substance abuse and mental health issues; and7
WHEREAS, sometimes, these substance abuse and mental health issues manifest8
themselves in criminal acts both great and small; and 9
WHEREAS, state court judges are joining with local prosecutors, public defenders,10
United States Department of Veterans Affairs officials, and local lawyer volunteers to create11
courts with veterans-only case proceedings, because they have seen a common thread of12
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, head injuries, and mental illness13
underlying crimes committed by veterans; and14
WHEREAS, Judge Robert Russell, presiding judge of the Buffalo Drug Court and15
Buffalo Mental Health Court, created the nation's first Veterans Treatment Court in January16
of 2008, in response to the growing number of veterans appearing on the dockets who were17
addicted to drugs or alcohol or suffering from mental illness; and 18
WHEREAS, the widespread growth and early success of Veterans Treatment Courts19
has led a number of states to introduce legislation pertaining to veterans in the criminal20
justice system and establishing Veterans Treatment Courts, and most recently, California,21 HLS 12RS-2850 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 105
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Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, and Virginia have passed similar legislation establishing1
Veterans Treatment Courts; and 2
WHEREAS, it is imperative that the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs3
conduct a study regarding the creation and implementation of a Veterans Treatment Court4
in this state; and5
WHEREAS, the study should highlight the increasing needs and advantages for6
additional dockets to accommodate Veterans Treatment Courts, to assist in rehabilitating7
those service members who will be returning from Afghanistan and Iraq in the immediate8
future, and to provide them with the opportunity to live a sober and stable life while9
restoring their military honor and their commitments to family and community; and10
WHEREAS, any such study of a Veterans Treatment Court program must promote11
a non-adversarial approach within its framework and build awareness of the important12
advantages to adopting such a court system.13
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby14
urge and request the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study of15
Veterans Treatment Courts and the feasibility of creating and implementing such courts in16
the state of Louisiana.17
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that other entities are urged to participate in this18
study, including but not limited to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, the19
Louisiana Supreme Court, the Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of20
Criminal Justice, the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Louisiana District Attorneys21
Association, and the Louisiana Public Defender Board.22
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the23
secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.24
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Lorusso HCR No. 105
Requests the La. Dept. of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study of Veterans Treatment Courts
and the feasibility of creating and implementing such courts in the state of La.