ENROLLED
ACT No. 123
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 218
BY REPRESENTATIVES JACKSON, GARY CARTER, GAINES, HAZEL, HODGES,
MAGEE, MARINO, AND ZERINGUE AND SENATOR W HITE
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 13:5521.1, relative to sheriffs; to provide for participation in the Louisiana
3 Sheriffs' Certification Program; to provide criteria for participation; to provide for
4 incentives; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 13:5521.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 ยง5521.1. Louisiana Sheriffs' Certification Program
8 A.(1) A sheriff is eligible to participate in the Louisiana Sheriffs'
9 Certification Program as provided for by this Section if the sheriff completes the
10 training, certification, or educational requirement or attains the law enforcement
11 experience as provided for in Subparagraph (B)(4)(a) of this Section.
12 (2) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to limit a sheriff from
13 participation in an approved deferred compensation plan.
14 B.(1) The Louisiana Sheriffs' Certification Program is hereby established to
15 formalize and recognize the professional standards of sheriffs and further support
16 public safety in the state.
17 (2) Objectives. The Louisiana Sheriffs' Certification Program is designed
18 to provide incentives for sheriffs to gain additional knowledge and experience in
19 order to further the requirements and responsibilities of the office for which they
20 were elected.
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 218 ENROLLED
1 (3) Eligibility. Only elected sheriffs of each parish shall be eligible for
2 participation in the Louisiana Sheriffs' Certification Program.
3 (4)(a) Requirements. Sheriffs who complete any of the following training,
4 certification, or educational requirements or attain the following experience shall be
5 eligible for participation in the Louisiana Sheriffs' Certification Program:
6 (i) A certificate of graduation from the FBI National Academy at Quantico,
7 Virginia.
8 (ii) An associate or bachelor's degree from a regional accredited institution
9 of higher education as recognized by the Louisiana Sheriffs' Executive Management
10 Institute Board.
11 (iii) A masters degree or juris doctor from a regional, accredited institution
12 of higher education as recognized by the Louisiana Sheriffs' Executive Management
13 Institute Board.
14 (iv) Twenty years of law enforcement, military, or corrections officer
15 experience as recognized by the Louisiana Peace Officer Standards and Training
16 Council or the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
17 C.(1) The Louisiana Sheriffs' Certification Program shall be administered
18 and governed by the Louisiana Sheriffs' Executive Management Institute Board.
19 (2)(a) Documents proving the successful completion of the certification
20 program shall be submitted to and approved by the board.
21 (b) If a sheriff has been certified to possess any of the above requirements
22 as provided by Subsection B of this Section by the Louisiana Sheriffs' Executive
23 Management Institute Board as presented to the legislative auditor, the sheriff shall
24 be granted a seven percent increase in compensation to his annual salary.
25 (c) A sheriff shall complete the requirements of Subsection B of this Section
26 in order to receive and retain the seven percent compensation enhancement. The
27 Louisiana Sheriffs' Certification Program shall not serve as a base salary. If a sheriff
28 does not meet the requirements as provided in Subsection B of this Section, his
29 salary shall not be increased.
Page 2 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 218 ENROLLED
1 (d) The provisions of this Section shall become effective on July 1, 2020.
2 (e) A sheriff who succeeds a sheriff who participated in the Louisiana
3 Sheriffs' Certification Program shall not automatically be qualified to participate in
4 the program by his election. The successor sheriff shall meet the requirements of
5 Subsection B separately and independently of his election to qualify for the
6 Louisiana Sheriffs' Certification Program.
7 Section 2. The provisions of Section 1 of this Act shall not be subject to the
8 requirements of R.S. 13:5521(E).
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.