Page 1 of 1 Prepared by Alden A. Clement, Jr. Hazel HB No. 1073 (KEYWORD, SUMMARY, AND DIGEST as amended by Senate committee amendments) CRIMINAL/PROCE DURE. Provides relative to the recording of statements of protected persons outside of the courtroom DIGEST Present law authorizes the court, on its own motion or on motion of the district attorney, a parish welfare unit or agency, or the Dept. of Children and Family Services (DCFS), to require that a statement of a protected person be recorded on videotape. Present law defines "protected person" as any person who is a victim of a crime or a witness in a criminal proceeding and who is either under the age of 17 years or has a developmental disability as defined in present law. Proposed law retains present law and further authorizes the recording of statements of protected persons outside of the courtroom without the necessity of the issuance of an order by the court in any individual case either by local court rule or by the execution of a written protocol between the court and law enforcement agencies, a parish welfare unit or agency, DCFS, or a child advocacy center operating in the judicial district. (Amends R.S. 15:440.2(A)(1) and Ch.C. Art. 324(A)) Summary of Amendments Adopted by House House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill. 1. Amended provision in the Children's Code which provides relative to the recorded statements of protected persons to reflect changes in proposed law. Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Judiciary C to the reengrossed bill 1. Deletes references to a Child Advocacy Program from proposed law.