HLS 25RS-847 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 316
BY REPRESENTATIVE BUTLER
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
BOARDS/COMMISSIONS: Provides for the Drug Policy Board
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 49:219.1, 219.2(B)(1)(a)(introductory paragraph) and (xi) and
3 (c)(i), (iii), and (viii) and (2), 219.3(A), and 219.4 and to enact R.S.
4 49:219.2(B)(1)(a)(xiv) and (xv), relative to the Drug Policy Board; to provide for the
5 policy and purpose of the board; to provide for the membership of the board; to
6 update and modernize language; and to provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 49:219.1, 219.2(B)(1)(a)(introductory paragraph) and (xi) and (c)(i),
9(iii), and (viii) and (2), 219.3(A), and 219.4 are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
1049:219.2(B)(1)(a)(xiv) and (xv) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §219.1. Policy and purpose
12 A. It is the policy of the state to undertake every responsible effort, explore
13 every opportunity, invite every useful contribution, and expend every available
14 resource, to eliminate the abuse of drugs and alcohol and the damage to people and
15 institutions that results from such abuse. It is the policy of the state to take every
16 responsible action, explore all opportunities, invite meaningful contributions, and
17 utilize all available resources to eliminate substance and alcohol misuse along with
18 the resulting harm to individuals and institutions.
19 B. In view of the policy of the state, it is the purpose of this Part to establish
20 a state agency organizationally positioned and structurally empowered to elicit,
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1 motivate, advocate for, and coordinate the best efforts and ideas of all organizations,
2 agencies, entities, and individuals who volunteer or can be conscripted to make a
3 contribution toward the goal of eradicating drug and alcohol abuse and its poisonous
4 fruit. substance and alcohol misuse and its harmful consequences.
5 §219.2. Drug Policy Board; establishment; membership; selection; terms;
6 compensation; organization; domicile; procedure
7 * * *
8 B.(1) The board shall be composed of twenty-three twenty-five members.
9 (a) Thirteen Fifteen of the members shall be as follows:
10 * * *
11 (xi) The executive director director, or his designee, of the Safe and Drug-
12 Free Schools and Communities Program or his designee. office of drug policy within
13 the office of the governor.
14 * * *
15 (xiv) A representative from the Board of Regents specializing in collegiate
16 recovery education and behavioral health services.
17 (xv) An individual who has been in recovery for at least five years and is
18 actively engaged in substance use prevention and peer support efforts.
19 * * *
20 (c) The remaining eight members shall be appointed by the governor subject
21 to the confirmation of the Senate as follows:
22 (i) A representative of a private organization involved in substance abuse
23 prevention. or nonprofit organization located within this state providing substance
24 use education, treatment, and prevention.
25 * * *
26 (iii) A representative of a federal agency with responsibilities in alcohol and
27 drug abuse education, treatment, or prevention. The director of the Louisiana
28 Supreme Court Drug and Specialty Court Office or his designee.
29 * * *
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1 (viii) A physician representing the field of substance abuse misuse treatment
2 or substance abuse misuse prevention.
3 (2) The governor shall appoint persons who represent local and state
4 education agencies; drug substance and alcohol abuse misuse treatment or
5 rehabilitation facilities or programs; local, state, and federal law enforcement
6 agencies; and local, state, and federal judiciaries, and legal counsel to serve on the
7 task force in support of the drug policy board.
8 * * *
9 §219.3. Powers, duties, and functions; staffing; funding
10 A. The board shall:
11 (1) Identify, examine, select or develop, recommend or implement, drug
12 control policies and strategies to more effectively combat illegal drugs and drug,
13 substance, and alcohol abuse. misuse.
14 (2) Stress a coordinated approach emphasizing application, or needed
15 revisions, of enforcement capabilities targeting drug use, illegal drug misuse, sale,
16 and supply.
17 (3) Identify, examine, select or develop, recommend or implement, demand
18 reduction measures such as education, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, peer
19 support, harm reduction, and public awareness.
20 (4) Receive reports of the allocations and expenditures of all federal anti-
21 drug abuse substance misuse funds earmarked for education, treatment,
22 rehabilitation, prevention, and law enforcement.
23 (5) Evaluate how anti-drug monies both state and federal are utilized in
24 implementing anti-drug programs state and federal funds are utilized in
25 implementing substance use prevention and related programs at the state and local
26 agencies.
27 (6) Evaluate changes in the methods or and priorities of the allocation of
28 funds to state and local agencies.
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1 (7) Identify and evaluate the effectiveness of state and local public awareness
2 and drug prevention programs awareness, prevention, and harm education programs
3 addressing substance use in both the public and private sectors in order to develop
4 a series of recommendations for improving the effectiveness of such programs.
5 (8) Evaluate specific problem areas relating challenges related to the
6 enforcement of drug laws and make recommendations in order to improve the impact
7 of those laws through legislative refinement or executive order. substance use laws
8 and make recommendations to enhance effectiveness through legislative updates or
9 executive action.
10 (9) Assess the roles and interaction of federal, state, and local law
11 enforcement agencies and operations in combating drug abuse substance misuse and
12 trafficking, with recommendations for improving the effectiveness of multi-
13 jurisdictional operations throughout the this state.
14 (10) Provide an interim annual report to the governor regarding findings,
15 activities activities, and recommendations by July 1, 1991 and thereafter at least on
16 a quarterly basis or more often July first of each year and submit quarterly reports
17 if deemed necessary by the governor or the board.
18 (11) Develop long and/or and short range plans or strategies that prioritize
19 areas of need or otherwise organize the use of resources.
20 (12) Seek assistance or support from any state agency or private sector entity
21 which may be helpful in diminishing or eradicating drug substance and alcohol
22 abuse. misuse.
23 (13) Adopt and promulgate rules as may be necessary to implement
24 provisions of this Part.
25 * * *
26 §219.4. Assistance and cooperation of other agencies; boards; use of facilities
27 All of the agencies, boards, commissions, and departments of the state and
28 any of its political subdivisions departments, and political subdivisions shall assist
29 the board in its work and furnish such by providing requested information, reports,
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1 research, aid, services, and assistance as may be requested, all support without
2 imposing any cost or charge of any nature to the office. However, such required
3 assistance by agencies, boards, commissions, and departments support shall be
4 subject to the funding constraints of the said respective entity. The facilities of the
5 state library and Louisiana State University shall be made make facilities available
6 for use by the board. It shall be the duty of the The attorney general to give
7 assistance to shall assist the board and to render his opinion in writing provide
8 written opinions on any subject requested by the legislative fiscal officer.
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 316 Original 2025 Regular Session Butler
Abstract: Modifies the membership of the Drug Policy Board and modernizes language.
Present law states that the Drug Policy Board (board) is composed of 23 members.
Proposed law increases the membership of the board to 25 members.
Proposed law removes the executive director of the Safe and Drug-Free School and
Communities Program or his designee and a representative of a federal agency with
responsibilities in alcohol and drug abuse education, treatment, or prevention from the board.
Proposed law adds all of the following members to the board:
(1)A representative from the Board of Regents.
(2)An individual who has been in recovery for at least five years and is actively
engaged in substance use prevention and peer support efforts.
(3)The executive director of the office of drug policy within the office of the governor
or his designee.
(4)The director of the Louisiana Supreme Court Drug and Specialty Court Office or his
designee.
Present law provides that the board shall submit an interim report to the governor regarding
findings, activities, and recommendations by July 1, 1991, and submit quarterly reports
thereafter.
Proposed law modifies present law by requiring the board to submit an annual report
regarding findings, activities, and recommendations on July 1st each year and submit
quarterly reports if deemed necessary by the board or the governor.
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HB NO. 316
Proposed law modernizes and updates language in present law.
(Amends R.S. 49:219.1, 219.2(B)(1)(a)(intro. para.) and (xi) and (c)(i), (iii), and (viii) and
(2), 219.3(A), and 219.4; Adds R.S. 49:219.2(B)(1)(a)(xiv) and (xv))
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