2020 Second Extraordinary Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 42
BY SENATOR MIZELL
A RESOLUTION
To authorize and direct the re-creation of the Louisiana Women's Incarceration Task Force
under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus and the
Department of Public Safety & Corrections as originally created by HCR 27 of the
2018 Regular Session and continued by HCR 37 of the 2019 Regular Session and
grant them new authority to study, evaluate, analyze, and undertake a comprehensive
review of the state's and local municipal criminal justice systems as it relates to
prenatal and postpartum care of incarcerated pregnant women and the need for
babies to bond with their mothers and to report its findings and policy
recommendations by February 1, 2021.
WHEREAS, over the last several years, Louisiana has built upon the success of the
justice reinvestment task force while recognizing that incarcerated women face unique
challenges and therefore may or may not benefit from reform efforts; and
WHEREAS, according to United States Bureau of Justice Statistics in 2017,
Louisiana had the seventh highest women's incarceration rate in the United States and
incarcerated more than two thousand women at a cost of over $50 million; and
WHEREAS, the most effective changes will be made when all those impacted or
involved in the criminal justice system have representation in developing policies and
processes related to women's incarceration, and input from all criminal justice stakeholders
is essential in the development and implementation of these changes; and
WHEREAS, it is beneficial to the entire population of the state of Louisiana to
develop a broadly diverse and cross-disciplinary task force to study correction systems for
women with the goal of producing a body of research resulting in making specific policy
recommendations to implement placement and behavioral practices which address prenatal
and postpartum care of incarcerated pregnant women and the need for babies to bond with
their mothers.
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby authorize and direct the re-creation of the Louisiana Women's Incarceration
Task Force.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is hereby authorized and directed
to study, evaluate, analyze, and undertake a comprehensive review of the state's and local
municipal criminal justice systems as it relates to prenatal and postpartum care of pregnant
incarcerated women and the need for babies to bond with their mothers. The information
gathered shall be used to develop policy recommendations for the Senate to:
(1) Develop practices and processes that avoid placing additional trauma or harm
upon pregnant women as they navigate the criminal justice system.
(2) Address the holistic health of women to include access to hormone therapy,
prenatal care, reproductive health, access to other medicine to maintain health, consistent
health screenings, mental health access, and access to substance use and recovery resources.
(3) Increase and evaluate programming available to pregnant women during and after
incarceration with the intention of self-determined development.
(4) Ensure the availability of gender responsive resources to support the dignity and
quality of life of all women.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be bipartisan and shall be
composed of the following members:
(1) Three representatives of criminal justice agencies designated by the governor.
(2) The secretary of the Department of Public Safety & Corrections, or his designee.
(3) The president of the Louisiana Senate, or his designee who shall be a senator.
(4) Chair of the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus.
(5) A physician specializing in OB/GYN designated by Our Lady of the Lake
Hospital.
(6) A nurse specializing in obstetrics designated by Woman's Hospital.
(7) A representative of the GRACE Program at Woman's Hospital.
(8) The president of the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association, or his designee.
(9) The president of the Louisiana District Attorneys' Association, or his designee.
The chair of the task force shall be the secretary of the Department of Public Safety
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& Corrections, or his designee. All other officers, if any, shall be elected by and from the
membership of the task force.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the membership of the task force
shall constitute a quorum and shall meet at predetermined and agreed upon dates by the task
force, enforced by the chairman, or upon an affirmative vote of a majority of the task force
members. All members must be notified in writing of all meetings at least two weeks before
the date on which a meeting of the task force is scheduled.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus and
the Department of Public Safety & Corrections shall provide the administrative assistance
and staffing as may be necessary in order to enable the task force to accomplish its goals.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may request the Louisiana
Legislative Women's Caucus, the Department of Public Safety & Corrections, and the office
of the judicial administrator of the Louisiana Supreme Court to provide relevant data and
staff expertise upon request.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall meet no less than two times
prior to the start of the 2021 Regular Legislative Session. The initial meeting of the task
force shall be called by the president of the Louisiana Senate. The first meeting shall take
place no later than November 15, 2020.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall prepare and submit a final
report that contains a detailed statement of the findings and policy recommendations of the
task force to the governor, president of the Louisiana Senate, and the chief justice of the
Louisiana Supreme Court by February 15, 2021. The report shall be made available to the
public.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
governor, the secretary of the Department of Public Safety & Corrections, the chief medical
officer of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, the chief of nursing at Woman's
Hospital, the president of the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association, and the president of the
District Attorneys' Association.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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