HLS 12RS-3371 ENGROSSED
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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 124
BY REPRESENTATIVE DIXON
CRIMINAL/CONVICTIONS: Requests the Innocence Project New Orleans to apply to the
Judicial Council for an additional court cost to fund the Innocence Compensation
Fund
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request that Innocence Project New Orleans submit an application to the2
Judicial Council of the Supreme Court of Louisiana for review of a new court cost3
to fund the Innocence Compensation Fund.4
WHEREAS, Innocence Project New Orleans is a nonprofit law office that represents5
innocent persons serving life sentences in Louisiana and Mississippi and assists them with6
their transition from incarceration to freedom upon their release; and7
WHEREAS, since its inception in 2001, Innocence Project New Orleans has freed8
twenty wrongfully convicted persons and cleared the name of one other man who died in9
prison; and10
WHEREAS, Act No. 486 of the 2005 Regular Session of the Legislature established11
an application process for a person to receive compensation upon a showing of factual12
innocence and established a total amount of compensation of one hundred fifty thousand13
dollars calculated at a rate of fifteen thousand dollars for each year of incarceration; and14
WHEREAS, Act No. 262 of the 2011 Regular Session of the Legislature increased15
the total amount of compensation to two hundred fifty thousand dollars calculated at a rate16
of twenty-five thousand dollars per year of incarceration to be paid at a rate of twenty-five17
thousand dollars annually; and 18
WHEREAS, it is appropriate that this amount of compensation be increased to a total19
amount of compensation of five hundred thousand dollars calculated at a rate of twenty-five20 HLS 12RS-3371 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 124
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thousand dollars per year of incarceration to be paid at a rate of twenty-five thousand dollars1
annually; and2
WHEREAS, legislation proposed during the 2012 Regular Session of the Legislature3
of Louisiana provides that the Innocence Compensation Fund shall be managed by the4
Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice; and5
WHEREAS, R.S. 13:61 creates the Judicial Council of the Supreme Court of6
Louisiana and provides that no law to provide for a new court cost or fee or to increase an7
existing court cost or fee shall be enacted unless first submitted to the Judicial Council for8
review and recommendation to the legislature as to whether the court cost or fee is9
reasonably related to the operation of the courts or court system; and10
WHEREAS, an appropriate means of providing sustained funding to the Innocence11
Compensation Fund is needed.12
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby13
urge and request that Innocence Project New Orleans submit an application to the Judicial14
Council of the Supreme Court of Louisiana for review of a new court cost to fund the15
Innocence Compensation Fund.16
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the17
Innocence Project New Orleans and the Judicial Council.18
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)]
Dixon HCR No. 124
Requests that Innocence Project New Orleans submit an application to the Judicial Council
of the Supreme Court of La. for review of a new court cost to fund the Innocence
Compensation Fund.