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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE BILL NO. 478
BY SENATOR CLAITOR
COURTS. Authorizes the levy of a warrant recall fee to fund a misdemeanor jail in East
Baton Rouge Parish. (8/1/14)
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 13:996.69, relative to courts and judicial procedure; to authorize all courts in2
East Baton Rouge Parish to levy a warrant recall fee to fund a misdemeanor3
detention facility; to provide for the collection of the fee; to provide for the4
expenditure of funds collected; to provide reporting requirements; and to provide for5
related matters.6
Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published.7
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:8
Section 1. R.S. 13:996.69 is hereby enacted to read as follows:9
ยง996.69. Misdemeanor Detention Fund; East Baton Rouge Parish10
A. Subject to the approval of the Judicial Council of the Louisiana11
Supreme Court, all courts within the parish of East Baton Rouge are authorized12
to levy and impose a warrant recall fee of fifty dollars on all persons who fail to13
appear as ordered on all misdemeanor offenses and traffic offenses where a14
warrant for arrest is issued, the proceeds of which shall be used to pay the15
expenses of operating a misdemeanor detention facility in the parish.16
B. The clerks of court shall place all sums collected or received under17 SB NO. 478
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
this Section with the finance director for the city of Baton Rouge and parish of1
East Baton Rouge, who shall place the funds in a separate account to be2
designated as the Misdemeanor Detention Fund. All monies in this account3
shall be used solely for the purpose of paying expenses associated with the4
operation of a misdemeanor detention facility in the parish. The finance5
director shall cause to be conducted annually an audit of the fund and the books6
and accounts relating thereto, and shall file the same with the office of the7
legislative auditor, where it shall be available for public inspection.8
C. All law enforcement agencies within the parish shall confer for the9
purpose of creating and implementing additional pilot programs for the10
periodic targeted enforcement of outstanding warrants until sufficient revenues11
are generated to sustain the permanent operation of the misdemeanor detention12
facility.13
D. The mayor-president of the city of Baton Rouge and the parish of14
East Baton Rouge shall be authorized to expend funds and enter into15
cooperative endeavor agreements with the sheriff of East Baton Rouge Parish16
and all courts within the parish in order to carry out the provisions of this17
Section, subject to the approval of the Metropolitan Council of the city of Baton18
Rouge and the parish of East Baton Rouge.19
E. The mayor-president through the finance department shall report20
quarterly to the Metropolitan Council and the courts within the parish on the21
matters set forth in this Section, including recommendations regarding22
necessary adjustments and the financial feasibility of the misdemeanor warrant23
enforcement programs.24
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Alden A. Clement, Jr.
DIGEST
Claitor (SB 478)
Proposed law provides that, subject to the approval of the Judicial Council of the Louisiana
Supreme Court, all courts within the parish of East Baton Rouge may levy a warrant recall
fee of $50 on all persons who fail to appear as ordered on all misdemeanor offenses and SB NO. 478
SLS 14RS-247 ENGROSSED
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
traffic offenses where a warrant for arrest has been issued, the proceeds of which are to pay
the expenses of operating a misdemeanor detention facility in the parish.
Proposed law provides that the clerks of court are to place all sums collected under proposed
law with the finance director for the city of Baton Rouge and parish of East Baton Rouge,
who is to place the funds in a separate account designated as the Misdemeanor Detention
Fund. Proposed law further provides that all monies in this account are to be used solely for
paying expenses associated with the operation of a misdemeanor detention facility in the
parish. Proposed law further provides that the finance director is to have an annual audit of
the fund conducted, and the audit is to be filed with the office of the legislative auditor and
made available for public inspection.
Proposed law provides that all law enforcement agencies within the parish are to confer to
create and implement additional pilot programs for the periodic targeted enforcement of
outstanding warrants until sufficient revenues are generated to sustain the permanent
operation of the misdemeanor detention facility.
Proposed law provides that the mayor-president of Baton Rouge is authorized to expend
funds and enter into cooperative endeavor agreements with the sheriff and all courts within
East Baton Rouge Parish in order to carry out the provisions of proposed law, subject to the
approval of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council.
Proposed law provides that the mayor-president, through the city-parish finance department,
is to report quarterly to the Metropolitan Council and the courts within the parish on the
matters set forth in proposed law, including recommendations regarding necessary
adjustments and the financial feasibility of the misdemeanor warrant enforcement programs.
Effective August 1, 2014.
(Adds R.S. 13:996.69)