SLS 24RS-122 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 216
BY SENATOR EDMONDS
LAW ENFORCEMENT. Provides relative to the funding of bulletproof vests for peace
officers. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 40:2405.1(A) and to enact R.S. 40:2405.1(E) and (F), relative
3 to the issuance of bulletproof vests to peace officers; to provide relative to funding
4 the acquisition and distribution of bulletproof vests; to create the Department of
5 Public Safety and Corrections Special Protective Equipment Fund; to direct the state
6 treasurer to deposit monies into the fund; to require the Louisiana Commission on
7 Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice to promulgate rules and
8 regulations with regard to the standards of bulletproof vests; and to provide for
9 related matters.
10 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 40:2405.1(A) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
12 40:2405.1(E) and (F) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
13 ยง2405.1. Special equipment provided by Department of Public Safety and
14 Corrections; rules and regulations; creation of fund
15 A. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, from funds
16 appropriated for this purpose, shall provide upon request special protective
17 equipment, commonly known as a bulletproof vest, for every "peace officer" peace
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 216
SLS 24RS-122 ORIGINAL
1 officer in the state of Louisiana. As used in this Section, "peace officer" means any
2 full-time employee of the state, a municipality, a sheriff, or other public agency,
3 whose principal permanent duties primarily involve the prevention or detection of
4 crime or the enforcement of penal and traffic laws and actually include the making
5 of arrests and the performing of searches and seizures.
6 * * *
7 E. The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration
8 of Criminal Justice shall adopt rules and regulations in accordance with the
9 Administrative Procedure Act, necessary for the administration and
10 enforcement of this Section, including but not limited to the standards for the
11 issuance of bulletproof vests; that the vests shall meet United States Department
12 of Justice National Institute for Justice standards; and that the vests shall be
13 wholly manufactured within nations that are party to the United States-Mexico-
14 Canada Agreement entered into force on July 1, 2020.
15 F.(1) There is hereby created in the state treasury, as a special fund, the
16 Department of Public Safety and Corrections Special Protective Equipment
17 Fund, hereinafter referred to in this Section as the "fund". Subject to
18 appropriation by the legislature, monies in the fund shall be used solely for
19 providing bulletproof vests to peace officers as provided in this Section. Monies
20 in the fund shall be invested in the same manner as monies in the state general
21 fund. Interest earned on the investment of monies in the fund shall be deposited
22 in and credited to the fund and all unexpended and unencumbered monies in
23 the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund.
24 (2) Beginning July 1, 2024, and each July first thereafter, the treasurer
25 shall deposit in and credit to the fund eight million five hundred thousand
26 dollars from the state general fund. The treasurer shall also deposit in and
27 credit to the fund all donations, gifts, grants, or other revenue from any source
28 designated for the fund and received or held by the state treasurer.
29 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 216
SLS 24RS-122 ORIGINAL
1 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
2 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
3 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
4 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Alan Miller.
DIGEST
SB 216 Original 2024 Regular Session Edmonds
Present law requires that upon request, the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C)
provide bulletproof vests to every peace officer in the state of La. provided that funds are
appropriated for this purpose. Further provides that to the extent that funds are not
appropriated for this purpose, DPS&C may make available for purchase to law enforcement
agencies bulletproof vests no longer utilized by the department for which the manufacturer
warranty has expired. Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law requires the La. Commission on Law Enforcement and the Admin. of Criminal
Justice to adopt administrative rules and regulations necessary for the administration and
enforcement of proposed law, including but not limited to the standards for the issuance of
bulletproof vests; that the vests shall meet U. S. Dept. of Justice National Institute for Justice
standards; and that the vests shall be wholly manufactured within nations that are party to
the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement entered into force on July 1, 2020.
Proposed law creates the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections Special Protective
Equipment Fund (fund) in the state treasury for the purposes of funding bulletproof vests for
peace officers. Proposed law requires monies in the fund to be invested in the same manner
as monies in the general fund. Proposed law provides that interest earned on investment of
monies be credited to the fund and requires that unexpended and unencumbered monies in
the fund at the end of the fiscal year remain in the fund.
Proposed law requires the state treasurer, beginning July 1, 2024, and each July first
thereafter, to deposit into the fund at the beginning of each fiscal year $8,500,000 from the
state general fund. Proposed law further authorizes the treasurer to deposit into the fund
gifts, grants, donations, or monies from any source designated for the fund.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 40:2405.1(A); adds R.S. 40:2405.1(E) and (F))
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.