HLS 14RS-111 ENGROSSED
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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 131
BY REPRESENTATIVE LOPINTO
LAW ENFORCE/OFFICERS: Authorizes payment of witness fees to retired law
enforcement officers or former law enforcement officers in certain cases
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 15:255.1, relative to retired or former law enforcement officers; to provide for2
the payment of witness fees to retired or former law enforcement officers in certain3
cases; to provide for the procedure for collection and payment of fees; and to provide4
for related matters.5
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6
Section 1. R.S. 15:255.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows: 7
ยง255.1. Witness fees to retired or former law enforcement officers8
A. Unless otherwise provided for by law for a particular jurisdiction,9
whenever a retired or former law enforcement officer is required to be present, as a10
witness in any criminal case or delinquency adjudication in any district or parish11
court or any court exercising juvenile jurisdiction, to testify as to events which12
occurred during his employment as a law enforcement officer, the retired or former13
law enforcement officer shall be paid the sum of fifty dollars for each day per case,14
but not more than one hundred fifty dollars in any one day, regardless of the number15
of cases for which he is required to be present or whether he actually testified in the16
case, and which sum shall be paid from those costs of court collected pursuant to the17
provisions of R.S. 15:255(D)(1) and (2).18
B. The retired or former law enforcement officer shall submit to the parish19
governing authority an application for payment of the fee, accompanied by20 HLS 14RS-111 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 131
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are additions.
documentation verifying service as a witness. Within sixty days of receipt of the1
application for the fee, along with accompanying documentation, the governing2
authority of the parish shall transmit the fees due under this Section to the retired or3
former law enforcement officer.4
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)]
Lopinto HB No. 131
Abstract: Requires payment of witness fees to retired or former law enforcement officers.
Proposed law requires the payment of witness fees to a former or retired law enforcement
officer who is required to be present as a witness in any criminal case or delinquency
adjudication in any district or parish court or any court exercising juvenile jurisdiction.
Proposed law provides for the payment of $50 each day per case, but not more than $150 in
any one day regardless of the number of cases for which he is required to be present or
whether he actually testified, and further requires that the sum be paid from court costs
collected in individual cases tried in district or parish courts or in any court exercising
juvenile jurisdiction.
Proposed law requires the retired or former law enforcement officer to submit an application
and verifying documentation for service as a witness to the governing authority of the parish
who shall within 60 days of receipt of the application and documentation transmit the fees
due to the retired or former law enforcement officer.
(Adds R.S. 15:255.1)