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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 150
BY SENATOR MORRELL
CRIMINAL JUSTICE. Creates and provides relative to the Pretrial Service Commission.
A RESOLUTION1
To establish and provide for the Pretrial Service Commission to review the state's pretrial2
service laws and policies and to make recommendations for policy and legislative3
changes on or before February 1, 2015, that will assist in providing more effective4
pretrial decision-making.5
WHEREAS, each year twelve million people are booked into jails in the United6
States; and7
WHEREAS, most criminal defendants have a right to be released prior to trial, with8
exceptions made only for those accused of the most serious and dangerous crimes; and9
WHEREAS, many defendants stay in jail because they cannot meet the conditions10
of release, which often are monetary; and11
WHEREAS, courts determine conditions of release based on safety and flight risk,12
but usually have little information about the risks defendants pose to guide these pretrial13
decisions; and14
WHEREAS, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, legislators15
in eleven states now provide statewide guidance to judges in pretrial decision-making.16
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana17
does hereby establish and provide for the Pretrial Service Commission to review the state's18 SR NO. 150
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pretrial service laws and policies and to make recommendations for policy and legislative1
changes on or before February 1, 2015, that will assist in providing more effective pretrial2
decision-making.3
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Pretrial Service Commission shall consist4
of the following members:5
(1)The chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary B, or his designee.6
(2)The chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary C, or his designee.7
(3)The chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, or his designee.8
(4)The chairman of the House Committee on Administration of Criminal9
Justice, or his designee.10
(5)The chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, or her designee.11
(6)One representative appointed by the Louisiana District Attorney's12
Association.13
(7)One member appointed by the Louisiana Public Defender Board.14
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall also have the following15
ex officio, nonvoting members:16
(1)The president of the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, or his designee.17
(2)The executive director of the Micah Project, or his designee.18
(3)The secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services, or her19
designee.20
(4)The secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Correction21
Services, or his designee.22
(5)The chairman of the Louisiana Sentencing Commission, or his designee.23
(6)The executive director of the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association, or his designee.24
(7)The executive director of Families and Friends of Louisiana's Incarcerated25
Children, or her designee.26
(8)The deputy secretary of the office of juvenile justice, or her designee.27
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall be chaired by the chairman28
of the Senate Committee on Judiciary B and be staffed by the staff of the Senate.29
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the30 SR NO. 150
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chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary B, the chairman of the Senate Committee1
on Judiciary C, the chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, the chairman of the2
House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice, the chief justice of the Louisiana3
Supreme Court, the Louisiana District Attorney's Association, and the Louisiana Public4
Defender Board.5
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the6
following departments and organizations: the Pelican Institute for Public Policy; the Micah7
Project; the Department of Children and Family Services; the Department of Public Safety8
Services and Corrections, Correction Services; the Louisiana Sentencing Commission; the9
Louisiana Sheriffs' Association; Family and Friends of Louisiana's Incarcerated Children;10
and the office of juvenile justice.11
The original instrument was prepared by Cathy Wells. The following digest,
which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was prepared
by Dawn Romero Watson.
DIGEST
Morrell SR No. 150
Establishes and provides for the Pretrial Service Commission to review the state's pretrial
service laws and policies. Requests the commission to make recommendations for policy
and legislative changes on or before Feb. 1, 2015. Provides for chair, membership and
staffing.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Judiciary B to the
original bill
1. Adds ex officio, nonvoting members.
2. Specifies chair and staffing.