SLS 18RS-311 ORIGINAL 2018 Regular Session SENATE BILL NO. 73 BY SENATOR GATTI CRIMINAL PROCEDURE. Provides relative to the sale and transport of fetal organs. (gov sig) 1 AN ACT 2 To enact R.S. 14:87.3(F) and (G), relative to the sale and transport of fetal organs; to provide 3 relative to prosecutions of the unlawful sale and transport of fetal organs; to create 4 and provide relative to the Fetal Organ Whistleblower Fund; and to provide for 5 related matters. 6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 7 Section 1. R.S. 14:87.3(F) and (G) are hereby enacted to read as follows: 8 ยง87.3. Prohibited cutting, resection, excision, harvesting, removal, sale, receipt, 9 research, commerce, or transport of fetal organs, tissues, and body 10 parts; whistleblower fund 11 * * * 12 F. The district attorney of the parish where a violation of this Section 13 occurs and the attorney general shall have concurrent authority to collect 14 evidence, investigate, and institute criminal proceedings for any violation of this 15 Section. 16 G. The Fetal Organ Whistleblower Fund, hereinafter referred to as "the 17 fund", is hereby created in the state treasury. Page 1 of 3 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 73 SLS 18RS-311 ORIGINAL 1 (1) The fund shall be composed of any monies derived from 2 appropriations by the legislature and any gift, grant, devise, donation, or 3 bequest of monies or properties of any nature or description. 4 (2) An award of one thousand dollars shall be paid out of the fund to any 5 person who provides evidence that results in the arrest and indictment of any 6 other person for a violation of this Section. Eligibility for an award pursuant to 7 this Subsection shall be determined by the district attorney or the attorney 8 general, as appropriate. 9 (3) All monies deposited in the fund shall be used solely to pay awards 10 to persons as provided by Paragraph (2) of this Subsection and shall be paid by 11 the state treasurer upon written order signed by the district attorney or the 12 attorney general, as appropriate, except that monies deposited in the fund may 13 be used to pay reasonable costs of administering the fund. 14 (4) The name and other identifying information of any person who is 15 paid an award pursuant to this Subsection shall remain confidential. 16 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not 17 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature 18 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If 19 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become 20 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 Alden A. Clement Jr. DIGEST SB 73 Original 2018 Regular Session Gatti Present law prohibits the cutting, resection, excision, harvesting, removal, sale, receipt, research, commerce, or transport of fetal organs, tissues, and body parts under circumstances defined by present law. Present law provides penalties for violations of present law. Proposed law retains present law. Proposed law provides that the district attorney of the parish where a violation of present law occurs and the attorney general have concurrent authority to collect evidence, investigate, and institute criminal proceedings for any violation of present law. Proposed law creates the Fetal Organ Whistleblower Fund in the state treasury. Proposed law Page 2 of 3 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 73 SLS 18RS-311 ORIGINAL further provides that this fund is to be composed of any monies derived from appropriations by the legislature and any gift, grant, devise, donation, or bequest of monies or properties of any nature or description. Proposed law provides that an award of $1,000 is to be paid out of the Fetal Organ Whistleblower Fund to any person who provides evidence that results in the arrest and indictment of any other person for a violation of present law relative to fetal organs, tissues, and body parts. Proposed law further provides that eligibility for an award pursuant to proposed law is to be determined by the district attorney or the attorney general, as appropriate. Proposed law provides that all monies deposited in the Fetal Organ Whistleblower Fund are to be used solely to pay awards to persons as provided by proposed law and are to be paid by the state treasurer upon written order signed by the district attorney or the attorney general, as appropriate. However, proposed law provides that monies deposited in the Fetal Organ Whistleblower Fund may be used to pay reasonable costs of administering the fund. Proposed law provides that the name and other identifying information of any person who is paid an award pursuant to proposed law must remain confidential. Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action. (Adds R.S. 14:87.3(F) and (G)) Page 3 of 3 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions.