HLS 15RS-1118 ENGROSSED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 82
BY REPRESENTATIVE LEGER
CORRECTIONS: Creates the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force to develop certain
sentencing and corrections policy recommendations
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To authorize and direct the creation of the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force, under
3 the jurisdiction of the Louisiana Sentencing Commission and the Department of
4 Public Safety and Corrections, to provide for the membership, powers, and duties of
5 the task force, and to require the task force to report its findings.
6 WHEREAS, according to United States Bureau of Justice Statistics, Louisiana has
7the highest incarceration rate in the United States; and
8 WHEREAS, in recent years, many of Louisiana's neighbors, including Texas, South
9Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia have advanced comprehensive sentencing and
10corrections reforms that protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, and control
11corrections costs; and
12 WHEREAS, over the last several years, Louisiana has taken steps to implement
13cost-effective, evidence-based practices and programs that have worked to control the
14growth in the state's prison population; and
15 WHEREAS, Louisiana should build upon this promising foundation and chart a
16data-driven course for comprehensive reform; and
17 WHEREAS, input from all criminal justice stakeholders is essential in the
18development and implementation of cost effective changes to incarceration in the state; and
19 WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the public to develop a high-level task force
20to conduct an examination of the state's sentencing and corrections systems and develop
21data-driven, research-based policy recommendations that reduce correctional populations
22and associated spending, hold offenders accountable, and reinvest savings into strategies
23shown to reduce recidivism and increase public safety; and
Page 1 of 4 HLS 15RS-1118 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 82
1 WHEREAS, the Sentencing Commission is limited to providing recommendations
2relating to sentencing and post-conviction relief and is therefore unable to complete a
3comprehensive assessment of and subsequent policy development for Louisiana's criminal
4justice system, which shall include such policy areas as corrections administration, offender
5supervision, and alternatives to incarceration, as well as the state's sentencing structure.
6 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
7authorize and direct the creation of the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is hereby authorized and directed
9to study, evaluate, analyze, and undertake a comprehensive review of the state's adult
10criminal justice system and, using a data-driven approach, develop sentencing and
11corrections policy recommendations for legislative consideration that will accomplish the
12following three goals:
13 (1) Reduce correctional populations and associated correctional spending by
14focusing prison space on serious and violent criminals.
15 (2) Hold offenders accountable more efficiently by implementing or expanding
16research-based supervision and sentencing practices.
17 (3) Reinvest savings into strategies shown to decrease recidivism, including
18improved reentry outcomes.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force
20is hereby created. The membership of the task force shall be as follows:
21 (1) The governor, or his designee.
22 (2) The chief justice, or his designee.
23 (3) The speaker of the House of Representatives, or his designee.
24 (4) The speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives, or his designee.
25 (5) The chairman of the House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
26 (6) The president of the Senate, or his designee.
27 (7) The president pro tempore of the Senate, or his designee.
28 (8) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary C.
29 (9) The secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
30 (10) The president of the Louisiana Sheriff's Association, or his designee.
Page 2 of 4 HLS 15RS-1118 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 82
1 (11) The president of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, or his designee.
2 (12) A district court judge designated by the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme
3Court.
4 (13) The state public defender, or his designee.
5 (14) The chairman of the Louisiana Sentencing Commission.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of the Department of Public Safety
7and Corrections shall serve as the chairperson of the task force.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the membership of the task force
9shall constitute a quorum and shall meet at the call of the chairperson, or upon an affirmative
10vote of a majority of the task force. All members must be notified in writing of all meetings
11at least five days before the date on which a meeting of the task force is scheduled.
12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Sentencing Commission and the
13Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall provide the administrative assistance and
14staffing as may be necessary in order to enable the task force to accomplish its goals.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall request technical assistance
16from the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, a joint private-public partnership between the
17United States Department of Justice and the Pew Charitable Trusts.
18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall direct the Louisiana
19Sentencing Commission, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, and the Office
20of the Judicial Administrator of the Louisiana Supreme Court to provide relevant data and
21staff expertise to the technical assistance providers promptly upon request.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall hold its first meeting no
23earlier than March 1, 2016, and no later than July 1, 2016, at the call of the secretary of the
24Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall meet no less than six times.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall prepare and submit a final
27report that contains a detailed statement of the findings and policy recommendations of the
28task force to the governor, leadership and ranking members of the legislature, and the chief
29justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court by March 1, 2017. The report shall be made
30available to the public.
Page 3 of 4 HLS 15RS-1118 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 82
1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be abolished upon
2submission of the report.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
4to the secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
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)]
HCR 82 Engrossed 2015 Regular Session Leger
Directs the creation of the La. Justice Reinvestment Task Force comprising 14 members to
evaluate, analyze, and undertake a comprehensive review of the state's adult criminal justice
system and, using a data-driven approach, develop sentencing and corrections policy
recommendations for legislative consideration to reduce the prison population, provide better
use of resources, and reduce recidivism.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Administration of
Criminal Justice to the engrossed bill:
1. Add the chairman of the La. Sentencing Commission as a member of the La.
Justice Reinvestment Task Force.
2. Place the La. Justice Reinvestment Task Force under the jurisdiction of the La.
Sentencing Commission and the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections.
Page 4 of 4