ENROLLED
2017 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 82
BY REPRESENTATIVE MACK
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 15:147(B)(17) through (19), relative to the Louisiana Public Defender Board;
3 to provide relative to the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the board; to provide
4 relative to the supervision of staff; to provide relative to the adoption of procedures
5 necessary for the review and preservation of materials; to provide relative to the
6 decisionmaking process of the board; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 15:147(B)(17) through (19) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง147. Powers, duties, responsibilities
10 * * *
11 B. In addition to the powers and duties provided for in Subsection A of this
12 Section, the board shall:
13 * * *
14 (17) Supervise the activities of staff and apply reasonable controls for the
15 supervision of spending, accounting, and discretionary grants. The board shall seek
16 the assistance of the legislative auditor or an internal auditor to ensure that staff
17 discretion is subject to supervision consistent with the Louisiana Local Government
18 Budget Act, R.S. 39:1301 et seq. The board's supervision shall include reviewing
19 details regarding expert witness funds or other case-specific grants, including the
20 confidential work product of attorneys in litigation, compensation, and records
21 supporting fees of experts and others, and analysis of the efficiency and effectiveness
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 82 ENROLLED
1 of programs. The attorney-client privilege and confidentiality that applies to counsel
2 in cases shall apply to all board members and staff for the review of case details.
3 (18) Adopt reasonable procedures in compliance with the Louisiana Rules
4 of Professional Conduct for the review and preservation of confidentiality of
5 privileged materials during and after litigation, including impressions of counsel,
6 strategy of litigation, and results of expert work and opinion.
7 (19) Adopt procedures necessary to protect strategic choices and confidential
8 work product of the board when the board considers important matters of spending.
9 However, the amounts and general purposes shall remain public record of the board's
10 decisionmaking process.
11 * * *
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.