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 542 Original 2023 Regular Session Hughes
Abstract: Changes allocations of funds for criminal justice reinvestment.
Present law requires the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C) to calculate annual savings
realized as a result of criminal justice reinvestment legislation enacted in the 2017 R.S. and
thereafter.
Present law allocates the annual savings each fiscal year as follows:
(1)15% to DPS&C to award incentive grants to parishes, judicial districts, and nonprofit
community partner organizations to expand evidence-backed prison alternatives and reduce
admissions to the state prison system.
(2)10% to the La. Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Criminal Justice
to award competitive grants for victim services.
(3)45% to the La. Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) for targeted investments
in educational and vocational training aimed at recidivism reduction programing for adult
and juvenile offenders. Proposed law further requires the La. Community and Technical
College System to report to the legislature by Dec. 15th of each year.
Proposed law removes the allocation to the LCTCS and instead creates a separate special fund in the
state treasury for the administration of LCTCS for the same purposes.
Proposed law retains present law reporting requirement for LCTCS.
Present law (Section 3 of Act No. 748 of the 2022 R.S.) provides that the changes made in Act No.
748 of the 2022 R.S. do not change or impact the savings recognized in FY 17-18 through 21-22 or
change or impact the continuous and reoccurring allocation of savings recognized in these prior
fiscal years and allocated to the DPS&C, the office of juvenile justice, the La. Commission on Law
Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice, and sheriffs' offices for the purpose of
reinvestment as provided in Act No. 261 of the 2017 R.S.
Proposed law retains the provisions of present law relative to the continuous and reoccurring
allocation of savings recognized in prior fiscal years and allocated to the office of juvenile justice,
the La. Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice, and sheriffs'
offices. Proposed law repeals the provisions of present law relative to the continuous and reoccurring
allocation of savings recognized in prior fiscal years and allocated to the DPS&C for targeted
investments in reentry services, community supervision, educational and vocational programming,
transitional work programs, and contracts with parish jails and other local facilities that house state
inmates to incentivize expansion of recidivism reduction programming and treatment services and
provides that those savings shall not be continuous and reoccurring savings and shall not be deemed
bonafide obligations or carried forward into any subsequent fiscal year.
Effective July 1, 2023.
(Adds R.S. 15:827.3(C) and (D) and R.S. 17:1877; Repeals R.S. 15:827.3(A)(2)(c) and Section 3
of Act No. 748 of the 2022 R.S.)