SLS 22RS-3751 ORIGINAL
2022 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 181
BY SENATOR WARD
LEGIS POWERS/FUNCTIONS. Creates the Crime Victims' Services Task Force.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To create and provide for the Crime Victims' Services Task Force.
3 WHEREAS, Louisiana Survivors for Reform conducted an informal survey of
4 Louisiana district attorneys regarding services to crime victims in 2022; and
5 WHEREAS, those initial, informal results indicate challenges and opportunities exist
6 for district attorneys to educate victims on resources and to provide additional resources to
7 crime victims; and
8 WHEREAS, data is still needed to determine what services are being offered and the
9 number of victims aided per year, as well as staffing shortages and other major challenges
10 facing district attorneys that inhibit each offices' ability to best aid victims in recovery.
11 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
12 does hereby establish and provide for the Crime Victims' Services Task Force to study how
13 services are provided to crime victims by district attorneys through their respective offices,
14 and to propose recommendations, together with specific proposals for legislation, by written
15 report to the Senate Committee on Judiciary B, the Senate Committee on Judiciary C, the
16 House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice, and to the David R. Poynter
17 Legislative Research Library as required by R.S. 24:771 and 772, no later than February 15,
18 2023.
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SLS 22RS-3751 ORIGINAL
1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force should include consideration of
2 an electronic survey of district attorneys and sheriffs of each district on victim services.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall consist of the following
4 members:
5 (1) A member of the Louisiana Survivors for Reform, appointed by the president of
6 the board of directors.
7 (2) A representative of Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response, appointed by the
8 president of the organization.
9 (3) The founder of Crime Survivors NOLA, or his designee.
10 (4) A representative of Voices of Innocent Citizens Empowered, appointed by the
11 president of the organization.
12 (5) The president of the Louisiana Coalition against Domestic Violence, or his
13 designee.
14 (6) A representative of the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, appointed
15 by the president of the board of directors.
16 (7) A representative of Communities Healing and Nurturing Growth through
17 Edification, appointed by the founder.
18 (8) The executive director of Silence is Violence, or his designee.
19 (9) A representative of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, appointed by the
20 president of the Louisiana chapter.
21 (10) The director of Project Celebration, or his designee.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall convene for its first meeting
23 no later than September 1, 2022, and at the first meeting, the members shall elect a chairman
24 and other officers as the task force may deem appropriate.
25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall receive staff support from
26 one or more of the entities from which the task force membership is designated or appointed,
27 at the discretion of the task force members.
28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the task force shall constitute a
29 quorum for the transaction of business, and all official actions of the task force shall require
30 the affirmative vote of a majority of the members.
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1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force shall serve
2 without compensation, except per diem or expenses reimbursement to which they may be
3 individually entitled as members of their constituent organizations.
4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall terminate on the date of the
5 submission of its report or February 1, 2023, whichever occurs first.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
7 Louisiana Survivors for Reform, Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response, Crime Survivors
8 NOLA, Voices of Innocent Citizens Empowered, Louisiana Coalition against Domestic
9 Violence, Louisiana Foundation against Sexual Assault, Communities Healing and
10 Nurturing Growth through Edification, Silence is Violence, Crime Survivors for Safety and
11 Justice, and Project Celebration.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Whitney Kauffeld.
DIGEST
SR 181 Original 2022 Regular Session Ward
Establishes the Crime Victims' Services Task Force to obtain and evaluate data relative to
the challenges and opportunities for district attorneys to educate victims on resources and
to provide additional resources to crime victims, and to propose recommendations, together
with specific proposals for legislation.
Provides that the task force consists of the following members:
(1)A member of the Louisiana Survivors for Reform, appointed by the president of the
board of directors.
(2)A representative of Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response, appointed by the
president of the organization.
(3)The founder of Crime Survivors NOLA, or his designee.
(4)A representative of Voices of Innocent Citizens Empowered, appointed by the
president of the organization.
(5)The president of the Louisiana Coalition against Domestic Violence, or his designee.
(6)A representative of the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, appointed by
the president of the board of directors.
(7)A representative of Communities Healing and Nurturing Growth through Edification,
appointed by the founder.
(8)The executive director of Silence is Violence, or his designee.
(9)A representative of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, appointed by the
president of the Louisiana chapter.
(10)The director of Project Celebration, or his designee.
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Provides that the task force is to make a written report of its findings and recommendations
by February 15, 2023.
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