RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 385 (SB 384) 2018 Regular Session Claitor
New law prohibits the publication of certain criminal record information or juvenile record
information. New law provides that no person or business entity is allowed to:
(1)Publish confidential juvenile record information or confidential criminal record
information of a child.
(2)Publish any criminal history record or criminal history record information in the
person's or business entity's possession with respect to which the person or business
entity has received notice that either:
(a)An order of expungement has been entered.
(b)An order of nondisclosure has been issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction.
(c)Charge a fee to remove, correct, or modify any criminal history record or
criminal history record information that the person or business entity has
published.
(d)Continue to publish an incomplete or inaccurate criminal history record or
inaccurate criminal history record information.
New law provided that a person or business entity does not violate new law if the person or
business entity published confidential juvenile record information or confidential criminal
record information of a child and:
(1)The child who is the subject of the records gives written consent to the publication
on or after the child reaches the age of 18 years.
(2)The publication of the information is authorized or required by any other provision
of prior law.
New law provides that a person or business entity must ensure that a criminal history record
or criminal history record information that the person or business entity publishes is
complete and accurate. Proposed law further provides that a criminal history record or
criminal history record information is "complete" if the information reflects the notations
of arrest and the filing and disposition of criminal charges, as applicable. New law further
provides that a criminal history record or criminal history record information is "accurate"
if the information reflects the most recent information received by the entity from a law
enforcement agency, criminal justice agency, or any other governmental entity within 60
days preceding the date of publication.
New law provides that the person or business entity must clearly and conspicuously publish
an email address, facsimile transmission number, or mailing address in order to enable a
person who is the subject of a criminal history record or criminal history record information
published by the person or business entity to dispute the completeness or accuracy of the
published information.
New law provides that if a person or business entity receives a dispute regarding the
completeness or accuracy of a criminal history record or criminal history record information
from a person who is the subject of the published information, the person or business entity
must, within 30 business days of receiving the notice of the dispute, verify with the
appropriate law enforcement agency, criminal justice agency, or any other governmental
entity, without cost to the person, the disputed information.
New law provides that if the person or business entity finds an incomplete or inaccurate
criminal history record or inaccurate criminal history record information after conducting
an investigation, the person or business entity must promptly remove the inaccurate
information from the website or other publication or promptly correct the information, as
applicable. New law provides that the person or business entity must provide written notice to the
person who disputed the completeness or accuracy of published information of the results
of an investigation not later than the fifth business day after the date on which the
investigation is completed.
New law provides that if a person or business entity receives a written notice from any
person that the person or business entity is publishing information in violation of new law,
the person or business entity must immediately remove the information from the website or
publication. New law further provides that if the person or business entity confirms that the
information is not confidential juvenile record information or confidential criminal record
information of a child and the publication of the information is not otherwise prohibited, the
person or business entity may republish the information.
New law applies to the following:
(1)A person or business entity that publishes a criminal history record or criminal
history record information, including information originally obtained pursuant to a
public records request or purchased or otherwise obtained from a law enforcement
agency, criminal justice agency, or any other governmental entity.
(2)A person or business entity that publishes confidential juvenile record information
or confidential criminal record information of a child in any manner not permitted
by prior law, regardless of the source of the information.
New law does not apply to:
(1)Any statewide juvenile information sharing system authorized by present law.
(2)A publication of general circulation or an internet website related to such a
publication that contains news or other information, including a magazine, periodical
newsletter, newspaper, pamphlet, or report.
(3)A radio or television station that holds a license issued by the Federal
Communications Commission.
(4)A telecommunications provider.
(5)A movie, film, or audiovisual work.
New law does not authorize a person or business entity to access confidential juvenile record
information or confidential criminal record information of a child.
For purposes of new law:
(1)"Confidential criminal record information of a child" means information relative to
a person's involvement in the criminal justice system resulting from conduct that
occurred or was alleged to occur when the person was younger than 18 years of age
and that is confidential pursuant to prior law. This term does not include:
(a)Criminal record information of a person who is to stand trial as an adult for
that conduct, as provided by prior law.
(b)Information relating to a traffic offense.
(2)"Confidential juvenile record information" means information about a person's
involvement in the juvenile justice system that is confidential, sealed, under
restricted access, or required to be destroyed under any provision of law, including:
(a)A description or notation of any referral to a juvenile probation department
or court with jurisdiction over the juvenile, including any instances of being
taken into custody, any informal disposition of a custodial or referral event,
or any formal charges and the disposition of those charges.
(b)A photograph or photographs of the person taken pursuant to a custodial
event or other involvement in the juvenile justice system. (c)Personal identifying information of the person contained in any other records
of the person's involvement in the juvenile justice system.
(3)"Criminal justice agency" means any government agency or subunit thereof, or
private agency that, through statutory authorization or a legal formal agreement with
a governmental unit or agency, has the power of investigation, arrest, detention,
prosecution, adjudication, treatment, supervision, rehabilitation or release of persons
suspected, charged, or convicted of a crime, or that collects, stores, processes,
transmits, or disseminates criminal history record or crime information.
(4)"Criminal history record" or "criminal history record information" means
information collected by criminal justice agencies on individuals consisting of
identifiable descriptions and notations of arrests, detentions, indictments, bills of
information, or any formal criminal charges, and any disposition arising therefrom,
including sentencing, correctional supervision, and release. These terms do not
include intelligence or investigatory purposes, nor does it include any identification
information that does not indicate involvement of the individual in the criminal
justice system. These terms do not include records of juvenile criminal conduct.
These terms include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a)A description or notation of any arrests, any formal criminal charges, and the
dispositions of those criminal charges.
(b)A photograph or photographs of the person taken pursuant to an arrest or
other involvement in the criminal justice system.
(c)Personal identifying information of a person displayed in conjunction with
any other record of the person's involvement in the criminal justice system.
(5)"Juvenile justice system" means the system of public and private services in
Louisiana that includes prevention, early identification, early intervention, child
protection, law enforcement, prosecution, defense, adjudication, diversion and
informal processing, probation, corrections, aftercare, transitional living, and other
services provided to children and families who either are or are likely to be brought
into a court with juvenile jurisdiction because of problems such as abuse, neglect or
abandonment, mental illness, substance abuse, aspects of a divorce and breakup of
families, predelinquency, social irresponsibility or delinquent behavior, or domestic
abuse involving children.
(6)"Personal identifying information" means information that alone or in conjunction
with other information identifies a person, including a person's name, address, date
of birth, photograph, and social security number or other government-issued
identification number.
(7)"Publish" means:
(a)In the case of the records of adults, to communicate or make information
available to another person on a publicly available internet website or in any
other publication that charges a fee for the removal of the information.
(b)In the case of the records of a juvenile, to communicate or make information
available to another person by any means, including but not limited to a
publicly available internet website that charges a fee for the removal of the
information.
New law provides that whoever violates any provision of new law:
(1)On a first conviction is to be fined up to $1,000, or imprisoned for up to six months,
or both (misdemeanor).
(2)On a second conviction is to be fined up to $5,000, or imprisoned for up to one year,
or both (misdemeanor).
(3)On a third or subsequent conviction is to be fined up to $10,000, or imprisoned, with
or without hard labor, for between six months and one year, or both (felony). New law provides that in addition to the fines and imprisonment provided by new law, a
person or business entity that publishes information in violation of new law is liable to pay
restitution to the individual who is the subject of the information in an amount not to exceed
$500 for each separate violation and, in the case of a continuing violation, an amount not to
exceed $500 for each day on which the violation occurs.
New law provides that venue is the appropriate jurisdiction where the subject of the
publication resides and where the offense was committed.
Effective August 1, 2018.
(Adds R.S. 14:133.7)