DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP ORT DIGEST
HB 38 2020 Second Extraordinary Session Harris
Keyword and oneliner of the instrument as it left the House
FUNDS/FUNDING: Provides relative to funding university, parish, and municipal police
departments (Items #15 and 16)
Report adopts Senate amendments to:
1. Change the threshold for budget reductions that trigger the notification requirements from
ten percent to twenty-five percent.
Report rejects Senate amendments which would have:
1. Added public works, fire, and parks and recreations departments to the provisions of
proposed law.
Digest of the bill as proposed by the Conference Committee
Proposed law requires any governing authority with a municipal police department or sheriff's office
to notify the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget (JLCB) if the annual operating budget for
the police department or sheriff's office decreases by 25% or more from the current to ensuing fiscal
year or any time during the current year.
Proposed law authorizes JLCB to require the governing authority to appear before the committee and
if JLCB determines the reductions will have a significant and harmful effect on public safety, the
governing authority shall be ineligible to apply for or receive funding for any new capital outlay
projects or receive appropriations from sales tax dedications for the ensuing fiscal year.
Proposed law exempts any political subdivision which decreases the annual operating budget for its
municipal police department or sheriff's office due to a decrease in tax collections.
(Adds R.S. 39:291 and 292)