SLS 19RS-298 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 218
BY SENATOR MORRELL
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS. Requests that district attorneys report certain data to the
legislature.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To urge and request the district attorneys to report certain data related to the operation of the
3 district attorney offices and its diversion programs to the legislature.
4 WHEREAS, district attorneys are the most powerful actors in the criminal justice
5 system, controlling investigations, plea bargaining, and vested with formal charging
6 discretion and bond-request decisions; and
7 WHEREAS, district attorneys' discretionary power drives major trends in our
8 criminal justice system; and
9 WHEREAS, district attorneys are vested with great discretion to multi-bill offenders
10 with prior felony convictions; and
11 WHEREAS, no data on district attorneys exercise of their power and discretion on
12 collection and expenditure of criminal justice fines and fees is currently collected and made
13 available to the public and legislators; and
14 WHEREAS, informing the public and legislators about the essential functioning of
15 the district attorneys office is vital to ensuring accountability, fiscal responsibility, and
16 ethical oversight; and
17 WHEREAS, all public offices function more effectively, with greater integrity, and
18 with greater public trust when subjected to public scrutiny.
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1 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
2 does hereby urge and request the district attorneys to collect certain data related to the
3 financial state of its operation including disclosure of funds received from statutory fines,
4 forfeitures, fees, court costs, pretrial diversion programs, and restitution proceedings in the
5 prior fiscal year.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does
7 hereby urge and request the district attorneys to collect annual workload data identifying
8 during the prior fiscal year the total number of misdemeanor and felony cases opened, the
9 total number of active criminal court cases at the end of the year, the total number of multi-
10 bills filed, the total number of offenders sentenced under the habitual offender law, the total
11 number of cases resolved by plea, the total number of cases dismissed by declaration of nolle
12 prosequi, any sentencing recommendations made by prosecutors, the demographic data of
13 participants in diversion programs operated by the district attorney, the total number of
14 individuals who enroll in and successfully complete pretrial diversion programs within a
15 twelve-month period, and the total number of participants who fail to complete the diversion
16 program within a twelve-month period.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does
18 hereby urge and request the district attorneys to compile a report of the data collected and
19 submit a written report of its findings to the legislature not later than January 15th each year.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
21 Louisiana District Attorneys Association and district attorneys.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Yoursheka D. George.
DIGEST
SR 218 Original 2019 Regular Session Morrell
Requests the district attorneys to make an annual report to the Senate regarding the financial
state of its operations. Provides that the report include revenue received from statutory fines,
forfeiture, fees, court costs, and pretrial diversion program and restitution proceedings
during the prior fiscal year.
Requests each district attorney office to collect annual workload data indenting during the
prior fiscal year on the following statistics:
(1)Total number of felony cases opened and the total number of misdemeanor cases
opened.
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(2)Total number of active criminal cases at the end of the year.
(3)Total number of multi-bills filed.
(4)Total number of offenders sentenced under the habitual offender law.
(5)Total number of cases resolved by plea.
(6)Total number of cases dismissed by declaration of nolle prosequi.
(7)Any sentencing recommendations made by prosecutors.
(8)Demographic data of participants in diversion programs operated by the district
attorney.
(9)Total number of individuals enrolled in and successfully completing the diversion
program within a twelve-month period.
(10)Total number of individuals who fail to complete the diversion program within the
same twelve-month period.
Requests the district attorney to compile a report of the data colleted and submit a written
report of its findings not later than January 15th each year.
Provides for a copy of this Resolution to be sent to the Louisiana District Attorneys
Association and district attorneys.
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