SLS 15RS-359 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 37
BY SENATOR MORRELL
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
LAW ENFORCEMENT. Requires the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training to
develop and continuously update certain training programs for peace officers and college or
university police officers. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:1805(H) and R.S. 40:2405.8, relative to the Council on Peace Officer
3 Standards and Training; to provide relative to peace officer training and course
4 requirements; to provide relative to sexual assault awareness training for persons
5 employed as full-time college or university police officers; to provide relative to lead
6 homicide investigator training; to provide relative to sexual assault awareness
7 training for all peace officers; to provide for the promulgation of rules and
8 regulations and the oversight thereof; and to provide for related matters.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 17:1805(H) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §1805. Authority of university or college police officer
12 * * *
13 H. On and after January 1, 2016, each person who is employed as a full-
14 time college or university police officer shall complete a sexual assault
15 awareness training program as provided by the Council on Peace Officer
16 Standards and Training pursuant to R.S. 40:2405.8.
17 Section 2. R.S. 40:2405.8 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 37
SLS 15RS-359 ORIGINAL
1 §2405.8. Additional peace officer training requirements
2 A. The council shall develop and continuously update a lead homicide
3 investigator training program and a sexual assault awareness training program
4 for peace officers that shall consist of classroom or Internet instruction, or both.
5 B. Lead Homicide Investigator. The council shall create and maintain
6 a current list of those peace officers who have successfully completed the lead
7 homicide investigator training program for purposes of coordinating homicide
8 investigations occurring in the state. On and after January 1, 2017, only peace
9 officers who successfully complete the lead homicide investigator training
10 program shall be assigned as lead investigators to homicide cases.
11 C.(1) Sexual Assault. The council shall develop the sexual assault
12 awareness training program in a series of modules to include all of the
13 following:
14 (a) The neurobiology of sexual assault and trauma, including victim
15 impact.
16 (b) Response to sexual assault, including but not limited to investigative
17 methods, collecting and securing evidence, and interviewing victims.
18 (c) Applicable federal and state victim's rights laws.
19 (2) The council shall solicit free or no cost training and technical
20 assistance and may accept gifts, grants, and donations from whatever sources
21 are available for purposes of this Subsection. The council shall consult with
22 appropriate governmental agencies and nongovernmental statewide agencies in
23 the development and presentation of the training required by this Subsection.
24 Regarding nongovernmental agencies, only agencies whose primary purpose is
25 the delivery of sexual assault services to victims are required to be consulted.
26 D. The council shall create and maintain a current list of those peace
27 officers who have successfully completed the sexual assault awareness training
28 program for purposes of coordinating sexual assault investigations.
29 E.(1) The council shall promulgate rules and regulations in accordance
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 37
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1 with the Administrative Procedure Act, subject to the oversight of the House
2 Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice and the Senate
3 Committee on Judiciary B for the implementation of this Section no later than
4 July 1, 2016.
5 (2) The council shall promulgate rules and regulations in accordance
6 with the Administrative Procedure Act, subject to the oversight of the House
7 Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice and the Senate
8 Committee on Judiciary B for the implementation of a sexual assault awareness
9 training program as provided in R.S. 17:1805(H) no later than October 1, 2015.
10 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
11 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
12 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
13 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
14 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Cathy Wells.
DIGEST
SB 37 Original 2015 Regular Session Morrell
Present law requires the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training to develop
minimum curriculum requirements for the training of peace officers.
Proposed law requires the council to develop and continuously update a lead homicide
investigator training program and a sexual assault awareness training program for peace
officers that consist of classroom or Internet instruction, or both.
Proposed law requires that on and after Jan. 1, 2016, each person who is employed as a full-
time college or university police officer shall complete a sexual assault awareness training
program as provided by the council as provided in proposed law.
Proposed law requires the council to create and maintain a current list of those peace officers
who have successfully completed the lead homicide investigator training program for
purposes of coordinating homicide investigations occurring in the state. Proposed law
provides that on and after Jan. 1, 2017, only law enforcement officers who successfully
complete the lead homicide investigator training program shall be assigned as lead
investigators in homicides.
Proposed law requires the council to develop the sexual assault awareness training program
in a series of modules to include all of the following:
(1)The neurobiology of sexual assault and trauma, including victim impact.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 37
SLS 15RS-359 ORIGINAL
(2)Response to sexual assault, including but not limited to investigative methods,
collecting and securing evidence, and interviewing victims.
(3)Applicable federal and state victim's rights laws.
Proposed law requires the council to solicit free or no cost training and technical assistance
and may accept gifts, grants, and donations from whatever sources are available for purposes
of proposed law. Proposed law further requires the council to consult with appropriate
governmental agencies and nongovernmental statewide agencies in the development and
presentation of the training required by proposed law. Regarding nongovernmental
agencies, only agencies whose primary purpose is the delivery of sexual assault services to
victims are required to be consulted.
Proposed law requires the council to promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with
the APA, subject to the oversight of the House Committee on the Administration of Criminal
Justice and the Senate Committee on Judiciary B for the implementation of the sexual assault
awareness training no later than July 1, 2016.
Proposed law requires the council to promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with
the APA, subject to the oversight of the House Committee on the Administration of Criminal
Justice and the Senate Committee on Judiciary B for the implementation of the sexual assault
awareness training program for persons employed full-time as college or university police
officers no later than Oct. 1, 2015.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:1805(H) and R.S. 40:2405.8)
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.