HLS 20RS-424 ENGROSSED
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 437
BY REPRESENTATIVE DUSTIN MILLER
HOMELAND SECURITY: Establishes the Louisiana Commission on Security for the Faith
Community
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 29:726.5 and 726.5.1, relative to homeland security; to establish the Louisiana
3 Commission on Security for the Faith Community; to provide relative to the purpose,
4 membership, authority, and duties of the commission; to provide for the
5 establishment of a security grant program; to establish the Security Grant Program
6 Fund; to provide for the duties and authority of the Governor's Office of Homeland
7 Security and Emergency Preparedness with regard to the program and fund; to
8 provide for the purpose of the program and fund; to provide for the eligibility
9 requirements for grant applicants; and to provide for related matters.
10Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 29:726.5 and 726.5.1 are hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 §726.5. Louisiana Commission on Security for the Faith Community
13 A. The Louisiana Commission on Security for the Faith Community,
14 hereinafter referred to as the "Commission", is hereby established within the
15 Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to study and
16 make recommendations on the security needs of the faith community in Louisiana,
17 including recommendations on the establishment, administration, and funding of a
18 grant program for eligible entities to apply for security grants covering security
19 personnel, security training, facility hardening, and other necessary security
20 measures.
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HB NO. 437
1 B. The Commission shall be comprised of the following members:
2 (1) The director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and
3 Emergency Preparedness, or his designee, who shall serve as chair of the
4 Commission.
5 (2) A representative of the governor's office appointed by the governor.
6 (3) A member of the Louisiana House of Representatives appointed by the
7 speaker.
8 (4) A member of the Louisiana Senate appointed by the president.
9 (5) The chair of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security or his
10 designee.
11 (6) The chair of the Senate Select Committee on Homeland Security or his
12 designee.
13 (7) The superintendent of state police or his designee.
14 (8) The executive director of the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association or his
15 designee.
16 (9) The executive director of the Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police
17 or his designee.
18 (11) The regional director of the Anti-Defamation League or his designee.
19 (12) The executive director of the Louisiana Interchurch Conference or his
20 designee.
21 (13) A representative from the Louisiana Home and Foreign Missions
22 Baptist Convention.
23 C.(1) Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation. Travel
24 expenses, per diem, and other expenses may be paid by the member's employer or
25 appointing authority.
26 (2) The Commission shall fix a time and place for its meetings and shall
27 meet at least quarterly. Additional meetings may be held upon the call of the
28 chairman. All meetings of the Commission shall be held in compliance with the
29 Open Meetings Law.
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HB NO. 437
1 (3) A majority of the total Commission members shall constitute a quorum
2 and any official action taken by the Commission shall require an affirmative vote of
3 a majority of the quorum present and voting.
4 D. The Commission shall issue a report to the Governor's Office of
5 Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness of its findings and
6 recommendations with respect to the security status and needs of the faith
7 community in Louisiana. The report shall be issued annually and at such other times
8 as deemed necessary by the Commission or the Governor's Office of Homeland
9 Security and Emergency Preparedness.
10 §726.5.1. Fund and grant program
11 A. The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency
12 Preparedness is authorized and directed to establish a grant program through which
13 eligible nonprofit organizations described in Subsection B of this Section can apply
14 for and receive grants to defray the cost of security enhancements or measures
15 including:
16 (1) Safety and security planning.
17 (2) Safety and security equipment.
18 (3) Security-related technology.
19 (4) Safety and security training.
20 (5) Safety and security exercises.
21 (6) Threat awareness and response training.
22 (7) Upgrades to existing structures that enhance safety and security.
23 (8) Vulnerability and threat assessments.
24 (9) Security personnel.
25 B. Eligible nonprofit organizations include organizations that meet all of the
26 following requirements:
27 (1) The organization is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
28 Revenue Code and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue
29 Code.
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HB NO. 437
1 (2) The organization is determined by the program administrator to be at risk
2 of a terrorist attack. Factors the program administrator may consider in making its
3 determination include but are not limited to the following:
4 (a) Prior incidents that have occurred at any facility owned or used by the
5 organization.
6 (b) Prior threats made against the organization.
7 (c) Current events or incidents impacting other organizations that have a
8 similar mission, belief, or ideology.
9 (d) Feedback or information on the current local threat environment from
10 local law enforcement agencies, parish offices of homeland security and emergency
11 preparedness, the Louisiana State Analytical and Fusion Exchange (LASAFE), field
12 offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other organizations, entities, or
13 agencies.
14 C.(1) There is hereby established in the state treasury a special fund to be
15 known as the Security Grant Program Fund, hereinafter referred to as the "fund".
16 Interest earned on the investment of monies in the fund shall be deposited in and
17 credited to the fund. Unexpended and unencumbered monies in the fund at the close
18 of each fiscal year shall remain in the fund. Monies in the fund shall be
19 appropriated, administered, and used solely for the purposes of the security grant
20 program as provided by this Section.
21 (2) The fund shall be comprised of all monies appropriated, donated, or
22 otherwise made available to provide funding for the purposes of the security grant
23 program as provided by this Section. All of such monies required to be deposited in
24 the state treasury in accordance with Article VII, Section 9(A) of the Constitution of
25 Louisiana shall be deposited in the fund after first meeting the requirements of
26 Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana relative to the Bond
27 Security and Redemption Fund.
28 (3) The fund shall be administered by the Governor's Office of Homeland
29 Security and Emergency Preparedness.
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HB NO. 437
1 D. The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency
2 Preparedness shall adopt any regulations or rules, pursuant to the Administrative
3 Procedure Act, necessary to implement the security grant program established by this
4 Section and to administer the Security Grant Program Fund.
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 437 Engrossed 2020 Regular Session Dustin Miller
Abstract: Establishes the La. Commission on Security for the Faith Community, provides
for the establishment of a security grant program, and establishes the Security Grant
Program Fund.
Proposed law establishes the La. Commission on Security for the Faith Community within
the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) to
study and make recommendations on the security needs of the faith community in La.
Proposed law provides for the purpose, membership, duties, and authority of the
commission, including recommendations on the establishment, administration, and funding
of a grant program for eligible entities to apply for security grants covering security
personnel, security training, facility hardening, and other necessary security measures.
Proposed law requires the commission to issue a report, at least annually, to GOHSEP of its
findings and recommendations with respect to the security status and needs of the faith
community in La.
Proposed law directs GOHSEP to establish a grant program through which eligible nonprofit
organizations can apply for and receive grants to defray the cost of security enhancements
or measures including safety and security planning, equipment, training, and technology;
threat and awareness response training; upgrades to existing structures that enhance safety
and security; vulnerability and threat assessments; and security personnel.
Proposed law establishes the Security Grant Program Fund, administered by GOHSEP, for
the purposes of the security grant program established pursuant to proposed law.
Proposed law requires GOHSEP to adopt any regulations or rules, pursuant to the
Administrative Procedure Act, necessary to implement the security grant program and to
administer the Security Grant Program Fund.
(Adds R.S. 29:726.5 and 726.5.1)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Judiciary to the original
bill:
1. Add a representative from the Louisiana Home and Foreign Missions Baptist
Convention to the membership of the commission.
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