HLS 20RS-371 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 333
BY REPRESENTATIVE EDMONDS
LAW ENFORCEMENT: Provides relative to the funding of bulletproof vests for peace
officers
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 40:2405.1(A) and (B)(1) and to enact R.S. 40:2405.1(E), relative
3 to the issuance of bulletproof vests to peace officers; to provide relative to the
4 funding of bulletproof vests; to authorize the Department of Public Safety and
5 Corrections to receive funds from various sources; to direct the state treasurer to
6 deposit monies into the fund; to require the Louisiana Commission on Law
7 Enforcement to promulgate rules and regulations with regard to the standards of
8 bulletproof vests; and to provide for related matters.
9Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 40:2405.1(A) and (B)(1) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
1140:2405.1(E) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 ยง2405.1. Special equipment provided by Department of Public Safety and
13 Corrections; rules and regulations
14 A.(1) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, from funds
15 appropriated for this purpose, shall provide upon request special protective
16 equipment, commonly known as a bulletproof vest, for every "peace officer" in the
17 state of Louisiana. For these purposes, the department is authorized to receive funds,
18 grants, donations, or otherwise, any sum of money, aid, or assistance from any
19 person, firm, or corporation from the United States, its agencies, the state of
20 Louisiana, or any political subdivision of the state. As used in this Section, "peace
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-371 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 333
1 officer" means any full-time employee of the state, a municipality, a sheriff, or other
2 public agency, whose principal permanent duties primarily involve the prevention
3 or detection of crime or the enforcement of penal and traffic laws and actually
4 include the making of arrests and the performing of searches and seizures.
5 (2) Beginning July 1, 2020, the state treasurer is directed to deposit into the
6 fund at the beginning of each fiscal year eight million five hundred thousand dollars.
7 The legislature may appropriate additional monies to the fund notwithstanding the
8 balance in the fund.
9 B.(1) To the extent that funds are not appropriated to the Department of
10 Public Safety and Corrections the department does not receive funds for the purposes
11 provided in Subsection A of this Section, the department may make available for
12 purchase to law enforcement agencies for use by their peace officers bulletproof
13 vests no longer utilized by the department for which the manufacturer warranty has
14 expired.
15 * * *
16 E. The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement shall promulgate rules
17 and regulations that are necessary to provide for the standards of bulletproof vests
18 distributed pursuant to this Section and other rules and regulations necessary for the
19 administration and enforcement of this matter.
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)]
HB 333 Original 2020 Regular Session Edmonds
Abstract: Provides relative to the funding of bulletproof vests for peace officers in the state
and requires the La. Commission of Law Enforcement to promulgate rules and
regulations necessary to provide for the standards of bulletproof vests.
Present law requires the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections to provide bulletproof vests
to every peace officer in the state of La. provided that funds are appropriated for this
purpose. Further provides that to the extent that funds are not appropriated for this purpose,
the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections may make available for purchase to law
enforcement agencies bulletproof vests no longer utilized by the department for which the
manufacturer warranty has expired.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-371 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 333
Proposed law amends present law to authorize the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections
to receive funds, grants, donations, or otherwise, any sum of money, aid, or assistance from
any person, firm, or corporation from the U.S., its agencies, the state of La., or any political
subdivision of the state for the purchase of bulletproof vests.
Proposed law further provides that beginning July 1, 2020, the state treasurer is directed to
deposit into the fund at the beginning of each fiscal year $8,500,000 dollars. The legislature
may appropriate additional monies to the fund notwithstanding the balance in the fund.
Proposed law requires the La. Commission on Law Enforcement to promulgate rules and
regulations that are necessary to provide for the standards of bulletproof vests and other rules
and regulations necessary for the administration and enforcement of this matter.
(Amends R.S. 40:2405.1(A) and (B)(1); Adds R.S. 40:2405.1(E))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.