HLS 15RS-309 REENGROSSED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 258
BY REPRESENTATIVE THIERRY
COURTS/COURT COSTS: Authorizes the collection of bench warrant fees in the 27
th
Judicial District Court
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 13:1000.12, relative to bench warrant fees; to authorize the collection of bench
3 warrant fees in the Twenty-Seventh Judicial District Court for certain offenses; to
4 provide for the collection and use of such fees; to restrict the number of recall fees
5 imposed against any person; to provide for exceptions for an indigent person; and to
6 provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 13:1000.12 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง1000.12. Twenty-Seventh Judicial District Court; additional warrant recall fees
10 A. The Twenty-Seventh Judicial District Court may levy and impose a
11 warrant recall fee not to exceed fifty dollars on all persons who fail to appear as
12 ordered on all felony offenses, misdemeanor offenses, and traffic offenses where a
13 warrant for arrest is issued. This fee shall be in addition to all other fines, costs, or
14 forfeitures lawfully imposed and which shall be transmitted to the clerk for further
15 disposition in accordance with the provisions of this Section.
16 B. The clerk of court shall place all sums collected or received pursuant to
17 this Section in a separate account. All monies in this account shall be used solely for
18 the purpose of defraying the expenses associated with recalling warrants and for the
19 operational expenses of the court.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 15RS-309 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 258
1 C. No more than four warrant recall fees shall be imposed by each judge
2 against any person pursuant to the provisions of this Section.
3 D. In the event that an individual is unable to pay the cost when assessed, the
4 court may allow payment to be deferred within a certain time frame, based on the
5 person's ability to pay the costs.
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)]
HB 258 Reengrossed 2015 Regular Session Thierry
Abstract: Authorizes the Twenty-Seventh Judicial District Court to impose a warrant recall
fee not to exceed $50 in certain cases and provides for the collection and use of such
fees.
Proposed law authorizes the 27
th
JDC to levy and impose a warrant recall fee in addition to
all other fines, costs, or forfeitures not to exceed $50 on anyone who fails to appear on all
felony, misdemeanor, and traffic offenses where a warrant for arrest is issued.
Proposed law requires all collected fees to be transmitted to the clerk for deposit into a
separate account to be used solely for defraying the costs associated with recalling warrants
and operational expenses of the court.
Proposed law restricts each judge from imposing more than four warrant recall fees against
any person.
Proposed law authorizes the court to defer payment within a certain time frame for an
individual who is unable to pay costs when assessed.
(Adds R.S. 13:1000.12)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Judiciary to the original
bill:
1. Add an exception which authorizes the court to defer payment within a certain
time frame based on a person's ability to pay.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Change the collection of the fee by the court from mandatory to permissive.
2. Reduce the additional warrant recall fee from $100 to $50.
3. Extend the authority to collect the bench warrant recall fee to felony offenses.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.