2016 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 80
BY SENATOR CLAITOR
A RESOLUTION
To recognize May 1, 2016, as Law Day in the state of Louisiana.
WHEREAS, Law Day is an occasion of public acknowledgment of our nation's and
state's heritage of justice, liberty and equality under the law; and
WHEREAS, Law Day has been annually proclaimed by the President of the United
States since Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed the first Law Day on May 1, 1958; and
WHEREAS, the United States Congress in 1961 encoded the presidential practice
into law, statutorily designating May first as Law Day; and
WHEREAS, the American Bar Association has identified the 2016 Law Day theme
as "Miranda: More than Words"; and
WHEREAS, the year 2016 marks the fiftieth anniversary of a milestone in legal
history, the United States Supreme Court's landmark 1966 decision in Miranda v. Arizona,
concluding that statements made by a suspect in police custody are generally inadmissible
if the suspect has not been made aware of his or her Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights; and
WHEREAS, in response to this decision, law enforcement personnel throughout the
country provide a Miranda Warning to suspects in custody apprising them of their right to
remain silent, their right to an attorney, and their right to appointed counsel in cases where
they cannot afford an attorney; and
WHEREAS, the Miranda Warning has become one of the nation's most recognizable
legal expressions and a symbol of procedural fairness that represents much more than just
the words of the warning; and
WHEREAS, the criminal justice system still faces many challenges and we must all
rededicate ourselves to the great goal of ensuring that it provides fair and equal treatment for
all; and
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WHEREAS, promoting public understanding of the roots of our freedom is an
important component in the civic education of the citizens of the United States and of the
state of Louisiana.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby recognize May 1, 2016, as Law Day in the state of Louisiana.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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