HLS 20RS-1356 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 46
BY REPRESENTATIVE JONES
CORRECTIONS: Requests the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to study
certain impacts as a result of COVID-19
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to study the impact of
3 COVID-19 on its operations, specifically as it pertains to the safety and security of
4 inmates and staff at its facilities, as well as the feasibility of releasing nonviolent
5 offenders and its impact on mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and to report the
6 number of inmates and staff that have died as a result of COVID-19.
7 WHEREAS, in February 2020, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
8released a letter to its staff and state prison offenders regarding the implementation of
9policies and procedures of inquiring with staff and all visitors about any symptoms related
10to COVID-19 and recent travel; and
11 WHEREAS, according to the policies, if a person presented any symptoms, such as
12fever, persistent cough, or shortness of breath, or recently traveled to or from certain
13locations, an additional risk screening was performed and the person may have been denied
14access to the prison until symptoms subsided; and
15 WHEREAS, for the safety and security of the inmates and staff in the eight state
16prisons, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections suspended visitations, tours, and
17volunteer work; and
18 WHEREAS, in lieu of visitation, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
19worked to expand access to telephone services to ensure inmates had continued access to
20family and friends during the pandemic; and
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HCR NO. 46
1 WHEREAS, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections also worked to secure
2hygiene and protection supplies, such as soap, masks, and gloves; and
3 WHEREAS, each state prison identified areas to quarantine the incarcerated
4population of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections; and
5 WHEREAS, on March 28, 2020, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
6reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 within its prisons; and according to the
7Department of Public Safety and Corrections, there were thirty-nine COVID-19 positive
8inmates and thirty-six COVID-19 positive staff members as of April 9, 2020; and
9 WHEREAS, it is necessary for the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to
10study the release of certain nonviolent offenders from its custody during a declared state of
11emergency and public health emergency in order to reduce the number of positive cases in
12the prison population; and
13 WHEREAS, it is important for the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to
14strive to maintain the safety, security, and well-being of its inmate population and staff and
15to take necessary precautions to mitigate any potential spread of COVID-19.
16 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
17urge and request the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to study the impact of
18COVID-19 on its operations, specifically as it pertains to the safety and security of inmates
19and staff at its facilities, as well as the feasibility of releasing nonviolent offenders and its
20impact on mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and to report the number of inmates and staff
21that have died as a result of COVID-19.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
23shall report its findings to the legislature no later than January 1, 2021.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
25to the secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
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HCR NO. 46
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)]
HCR 46 Original 2020 Regular Session Jones
Requests the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections to study the impact of COVID-19 on
its operations, specifically as it pertains to the safety and security of inmates and staff at its
facilities, as well as the feasibility of releasing nonviolent offenders and its impact on
mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and to report the number of inmates and staff that have
died as a result of COVID-19.
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