HLS 23RS-3053 ENGROSSED
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 168
BY REPRESENTATIVES SEABAUGH AND GAROFALO
CRIME: Creates a task force to study the effects of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative and
the rise of violent crime in Louisiana
1 A RESOLUTION
2To create the Louisiana Violent Crime Task Force to study and evaluate recent legislative
3 reforms to the Louisiana criminal justice system and the effects of such reforms on
4 public safety and crime in Louisiana and to propose future legislation to address and
5 improve public safety and reduce crime in Louisiana.
6 WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana, through legislative efforts, underwent significant
7criminal justice reform measures in 2016 and 2017; and
8 WHEREAS, in 2016, Louisiana enacted the "Raise the Age" legislation which
9resulted in seventeen-year-olds being transferred from the adult criminal justice system to
10the juvenile justice system; and
11 WHEREAS, in 2017, Louisiana enacted Act Nos. 260, 261, 262, 264, 277, 280, 281,
12and 282 which included the stated goals of reducing the Louisiana prison population and
13reducing the financial burdens placed upon convicted offenders; and
14 WHEREAS, the Louisiana prison population dropped substantially since the
15effective date of criminal justice reforms; and
16 WHEREAS, the Louisiana incarceration rate has been reduced substantially and the
17reduction has outpaced the national trends; and
18 WHEREAS, these recent reforms have resulted in tens of thousands of convicted
19felons being returned to the community without access to significant recidivism reduction
20programming; and
21 WHEREAS, these recent reforms also included significant obstacles to revoking the
22probation of felony offenders, which has resulted in significant reductions in the number of
23offenders whose probation has actually been revoked; and
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HR NO. 168
1 WHEREAS, on November 1, 2017, the state of Louisiana released one thousand nine
2hundred forty-eight offenders early as the direct result of these criminal justice reforms; and
3 WHEREAS, there has been little appreciable reduction in recidivism in spite of the
4revocation obstacles, the removal of the seventeen-year-old population from the criminal
5justice system, and the substantial amounts dedicated to reducing recidivism; and
6 WHEREAS, juvenile crime and particularly violent juvenile crime have negatively
7impacted public safety and endangered our communities at an alarming rate; and
8 WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana has experienced a rapid and significant rise in
9violent crime and homicides since these criminal justice reforms.
10 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
11Legislature of Louisiana does hereby create the Louisiana Violent Crime Task Force to study
12and evaluate recent legislative reforms to the Louisiana criminal justice system and the
13effects of such reforms on public safety and crime in Louisiana and to propose future
14legislation to address and improve public safety and reduce crime in Louisiana.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Violent Crime Task Force shall
16be composed of the following members:
17 (1) The attorney general of Louisiana, or his designee, who shall serve as chairman.
18 (2) An elected member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker
19from a list of names submitted by the attorney general of Louisiana.
20 (3) An elected member of the Senate, appointed by the president from a list of names
21submitted by the attorney general of Louisiana.
22 (4) The executive director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, or his
23designee.
24 (5) An elected member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker
25from a list of names submitted by the Louisiana District Attorneys Association.
26 (6) An elected member of the Senate, appointed by the president from a list of names
27submitted by the Louisiana District Attorneys Association.
28 (7) The executive director of the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association, or his designee.
29 (8) An elected member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker
30from a list of names submitted by the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association.
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HR NO. 168
1 (9) An elected member of the Senate, appointed by the president from a list of names
2submitted by the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association.
3 (9) The state public defender, or his designee.
4 (10) An elected member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker
5from a list of names submitted by the state public defender.
6 (11) An elected member of the Senate, appointed by the president from a list of
7names submitted by the state public defender.
8 (12) An elected member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker
9from a list of names submitted by the clerks of Caddo Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, and
10Orleans Parish.
11 (13) An elected member of the Senate, appointed by the president from a list of
12names submitted by the clerks of Caddo Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, and Orleans
13Parish.
14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the membership of the task force
15shall constitute a quorum. The task force shall meet at the call of the chair or upon an
16affirmative vote of a majority of the members. All members shall be notified in writing of
17all meetings at least five days before the date on which a meeting of the task force is
18scheduled.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the duties of the task force shall include, but not
20be limited to, all of the following:
21 (1) Gather and evaluate data and information from relevant stakeholders regarding
22the various aspects of the criminal justice system in Louisiana before and after the criminal
23justice reforms, including arrests, charges, prosecutions, sentences, probation and parole
24activity, incarceration, and recidivism.
25 (2) Evaluate and develop a plan of action to address areas of concern identified
26through the gathering and evaluation of criminal justice data and information.
27 (3) Recommend any legislation necessary for the 2024 Regular Session of the
28Legislature to accomplish all identified goals of true criminal justice reform that reduces
29crime and recidivism in Louisiana while improving public safety and strengthening our
30communities.
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HR NO. 168
1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may request and collect relevant
2and necessary data and information to accomplish its purposes from any and all state and
3local government agencies, including courts.
4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the entities from which such information and
5data is requested may, to the extent feasible, provide such information and data to the task
6force at no cost.
7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the office of the attorney general shall provide
8staff support to the task force.
9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall prepare and submit a report
10of its findings and policy recommendations to the speaker of the House of Representatives
11and the president of the Senate no later than December 31, 2023, and any further reports or
12recommendations thereafter as requested by the legislature or as advised by the task force.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to each
14of the task force members and the appointing entities provided in this Resolution.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that one print copy and one electronic copy of any
16report produced pursuant to this Resolution shall be submitted to the David R. Poynter
17Legislative Research Library as required by R.S. 24:772.
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)]
HR 168 Engrossed 2023 Regular Session Seabaugh
Creates the La. Violent Crime Task Force to study and evaluate recent legislative reforms
to the La. criminal justice system and to report its findings to the legislature no later than
Dec. 31, 2023.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Administration of
Criminal Justice to the original bill:
1. Add a member of the House of Representatives to the task force, appointed by
the speaker from a list of names submitted by the clerks of Caddo Parish, East
Baton Rouge Parish, and Orleans Parish.
2. Add a member of the Senate to the task force, appointed by the president from
a list of names submitted by the clerks of Caddo Parish, East Baton Rouge
Parish, and Orleans Parish.
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