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ACT No. 554
Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 569
BY REPRESENTATIVES STOKES, ABRAMSON, HODGES, HOFFMANN, AND
KLECKLEY AND SENATORS ADLEY, ALARI O, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME,
BUFFINGTON, CHABERT, CROWE, DONAHUE, DORSEY-COL OMB, ERDEY,
GUILLORY, HEITMEIER, JOHNS, LAFLEUR, LONG, MARTINY, MILLS,
MURRAY, NEVERS, PEACOCK, PERRY, PETERSON, RISER, GARY SMITH,
TARVER, THOMPSON, WAL SWORTH, AND WARD
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 13:587.4(A) and (C) and to enact R.S. 13:587.4(D), relative to2
district courts; to authorize the designation of human trafficking courts; to provide3
relative to training for the presiding judge; to provide for the transfer of certain4
cases; to authorize certain services for human trafficking victims if available; to5
provide for the disposition of human trafficking cases; and to provide for related6
matters.7
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:8
Section 1. R.S. 13:587.4(A) and (C) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.9
13:587.4(D) is enacted to read as follows: 10
ยง587.4. District courts; specialized divisions or sections; subject matter11
A. Respecting seniority and the requirement that all cases be assigned12
randomly within multi-judge divisions or sections, the judges of any judicial district13
court, by rule adopted by a majority vote of the judges sitting en banc, may designate14
a certain division or section of the court as a specialized division or section having15
criminal, civil, drug court, driving while intoxicated court, human trafficking court,16
mental health court, misdemeanor, traffic, juvenile, violent crimes or homicides, or17
other specialized subject matter jurisdiction.18
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C.(1) If a special division or section of court is designated as a human1
trafficking section, the presiding judge may be trained in issues of human trafficking2
and the support services available to victims.3
(2) All cases where a person is charged or indicted pursuant to R.S. 14:46.2,4
46.3, 81.1, 81.2, 81.3, 82, 82.1, 83, 83.1, 83.2, 83.3, 83.4, 84, 85, 86, 89, 89.1, 89.2,5
104, 105, 281, or 282 shall be transferred to the human trafficking section of the6
court.7
(3) If it is determined that a case involves a victim in need of services upon8
evaluation by the judge, and after a contradictory hearing, the following may apply:9
(a) The victim may be mandated to attend the appropriate support services10
for victims of human trafficking if available.11
(b) The victim shall, with consent of the district attorney, have the12
opportunity to be considered for a non-criminal disposition or dismissal of their13
cases upon satisfactory compliance with mandated support services.14
D. No rule adopted by the court may designate any division or section,15
without its consent, as a specialized division or section for a longer period than three16
years.17
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED: