ENROLLED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 134
BY REPRESENTATIVE LOPINTO
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To create the Criminal Justice Funding Commission to study and make recommendations
to the legislature for the development of a more unified, stable, and statewide
funding structure for the fair, efficient, and effective administration of the criminal
justice system.
WHEREAS, the existence of a fair, efficient, and equitable criminal justice system
is essential to the administration of justice; and
WHEREAS, adequate financial resources for the work of all components of the
criminal justice system, including the courts, law enforcement, prosecution, public defense
counsel, and corrections is integral to a properly functioning criminal justice system; and
WHEREAS, no component of the criminal justice system can function effectively
without reasonable resources; and
WHEREAS, the membership of the Louisiana State Bar Association has previously
adopted resolutions in 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2013 aimed at adequately funding Louisiana's
criminal justice system by seeking to address multiple issues within that system; and
WHEREAS, each year the Louisiana State Bar Association Criminal Justice
Committee convenes a statewide summit to identify issues of shared concern for the entire
criminal justice system and to build consensus around actionable solutions to those issues;
and
WHEREAS, in the 2014 summit, criminal justice leaders from across the state
explored the issue of strategic funding reform for Louisiana’s criminal justice system and
found that current methods of funding many components of the criminal justice system result
in unpredictable revenue streams, underfunded budgets, and severe restrictions of essential
services; and
Page 1 of 4 HCR NO. 134 ENROLLED
WHEREAS, participants in the 2014 summit recommended that in order to resolve
unpredictability, inadequacy, and inefficiency of funding for essential components for the
criminal justice system, the Legislature of Louisiana should request a study of the possibility
of instituting a statewide general fund for criminal justice agencies; and
WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon this state to develop and implement the changes
necessary to optimize public safety resources and make strategic investments across our
public safety system; and
WHEREAS, holding public safety paramount and considering the issues that impact
diverse stakeholders of the criminal justice system, this legislature is dedicated to making
a comprehensive set of reforms that yield a more fair and effective criminal justice system;
and
WHEREAS, the Legislature of Louisiana has the power to authorize and direct the
study of and make recommendations for the revision of laws impacting our criminal justice
agencies.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
establish the Criminal Justice Funding Commission to study and make recommendations to
the legislature for the development of a more unified, stable, and statewide funding structure
for the fair, efficient, and effective administration of the criminal justice system.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall be comprised of the
following members:
(1) One member of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate, or the
member's designee, who shall serve as co-chairperson of the commission.
(2) One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the
House, or the member's designee, who shall serve as co-chairperson of the commission.
(3) A district attorney appointed by the Louisiana District Attorneys Association,
or his designee.
(4) A public defender appointed by the Louisiana Public Defender Board, or his
designee.
(5) A person selected by the secretary of the Department of Public Safety and
Corrections, or his designee.
Page 2 of 4 HCR NO. 134 ENROLLED
(6) A person selected by the Louisiana Clerks of Court Association, or his designee.
(7) The legislative auditor, or his designee.
(8) A member of the Louisiana Sentencing Commission to be selected by the
chairman of the Louisiana Sentencing Commission, or his designee.
(9) A person appointed by the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, or his
designee.
(10) A sheriff appointed by the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association, or his designee.
(11) The superintendent of state police, or his designee.
(12) A person appointed by the governor, or his designee.
(13) The president of the Louisiana State Bar Association, or his designee.
(14) An attorney appointed by the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense
Lawyers, or his designee.
(15) A person appointed by the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, or his
designee.
(16) A person appointed by the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, or his designee.
(17) A person appointed by Louisiana Budget Project, or his designee.
(18) A person appointed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, or his
designee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in the development of these recommendations,
the commission shall review how other states fund their core criminal justice functions
including but not limited to law enforcement, corrections, prosecution, public defense, and
the courts; how Louisiana currently funds the criminal justice system; and how Louisiana
could potentially restructure its current funding scheme to implement evidence-based, best
practices.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall submit its
recommendations to the House and Senate committees on the administration of criminal
justice, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the president of the Senate by
February 1, 2016.
Page 3 of 4 HCR NO. 134 ENROLLED
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
to the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the Senate.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Page 4 of 4