ENROLLED
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 7
BY REPRESENTATIVES MARCELLE, BRYANT, WILFORD CARTER, EDMONSTON,
FISHER, GAINES, GLOVER, HORTON, JORDAN, KNOX, LAFLEUR,
LARVADAIN, LYONS, DUSTIN MILLER, MOORE, ORGERON, PHELPS,
PIERRE, SELDERS, AND WILLARD
A RESOLUTION
To direct the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to establish a policy not later than
thirty days prior to the adjourning of the 2023 Regular Session of the Legislature to
permit incarcerated parents at penal or correctional facilities under its jurisdiction to
virtually attend the award ceremonies and graduate commencement exercises of their
children.
WHEREAS, Louisiana has an estimated ninety-four thousand children with a parent
who is incarcerated; and
WHEREAS, the parent-child bond is critical to a child's development; and
WHEREAS, the severance of the parent-child bond by the incarceration of a parent
can have short-term and long-term social and emotional effects on the child; and
WHEREAS, these effects include poor education outcomes, juvenile justice
involvement, physical and mental health issues, strained social and familial relationships,
and criminal justice system involvement; and
WHEREAS, additionally, families with an incarcerated parent may experience
financial instability, thereby increasing the risk that children of an incarcerated parent may
live in poverty or be at risk of homelessness; and
WHEREAS, maintaining the parent-child relationship is beneficial to the child's
development and provides incentive to the incarcerated parent to successfully reenter
society; and
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WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature has demonstrated its commitment to
addressing the effects of mass incarceration, including the enactment of Act No. 284 of the
2020 Regular Session establishing the Council on the Children of Incarcerated Parents and
Caregivers, within the Office of the Governor, hereinafter referred to in this Resolution as
"The CIP Council"; and
WHEREAS, the CIP Council consists of stakeholders in the justice system, including
the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, caregivers, children impacted by parental
incarceration, and organizations such as Daughters Beyond Incarceration; and
WHEREAS, the CIP Council is charged with studying the effects of incarceration
on children and recommending policy changes as a result of its findings; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections authorizes penal and
correctional facilities in its jurisdiction to establish policies to promote a continuous
relationship between a child and the incarcerated parent; and
WHEREAS, despite the authority of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
to establish policies to promote the parent-child relationship, Daughters Beyond
Incarceration and other stakeholders of the CIP Council have expressed the concern of
children that their incarcerated parents are unable to attend the award ceremonies and
graduation commencement exercises of their children.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby direct the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
to establish a policy not later than thirty days prior to the adjourning of the 2023 Regular
Session of the Legislature to permit incarcerated parents at penal or correctional facilities
under its jurisdiction to virtually attend the award ceremonies and graduate commencement
exercises of their children.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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