Legislative History

2021: An update for the Louisiana Legislative Session will be posted no later than October 1, 2021.


2009: The 2009 Legislative session contained numerous bills relating to traffic ticket revenue and court costs. The legislature requested fiscal impact statements on numerous instruments. The Louisiana Public Defender Board suffered a 5% budget cut and is determining how its financial status will be affected by other legislation.

HB 1/Act 10 (Rep. Fannin): The Legislature appropriated $27,879,151.00 to the Louisiana Public Defender Board through its Public Defender Fund, Indigent Parent Representation Program Fund, and DNA Testing-Post Conviction Relief for Indigents Fund.
Direct link:http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=666370

HB 574/Act 215 (Rep. Richmond): This bill authorizes any district court by vote of the judges to adopt specialized divisions or sections having specified subject matter jurisdiction; to authorize a division to provide for an expedited docket for violent crimes involving a dangerous weapon or homicides; to create a homicide section in the Criminal District Court for the parish of Orleans; to authorize the district attorney's office to request an expedited docket for cases involving crimes of violence committed with a dangerous weapon and homicides; to provide for assignment of a judge to a Homicide Section of the Criminal District Court for the parish of Orleans; to provide for cases to be assigned to a homicide section; to authorize the judges en banc to assign other crimes committed using a firearm to the homicide section; to provide for transfer of cases; to provide for expedited handling of pretrial writs and appeals from the homicide section; and to provide for related matters.
Direct link:http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=667503


2008: The 2008 Legislative Session ended with several pieces of legislation affecting public defense in Louisiana. Most specifically, SB 114/Act 2 accelerated the implementation of the Louisiana Public Defender Act by amending an erroneous section of Act 307 and clarifying the employment status of certain employees. The Public Defender Fund suffered $500,000 in budget cuts in HB 1/Act 19.

HB 1/Act 19 (Rep. Fannin): HB 1 provides for the general operating expenses of state government. HB 1/Act 19 provides $28.0 million for public defense in fiscal year 2009.
Direct link: http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=505227

HB 778/Act 297 (Rep. Richmond): Extends for a period of five years (Until August 14, 2014) the period within which to file an application for post-conviction DNA testing.
Direct link: http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=499886

SB 474/Act 861 (Sen. Gray): Provides for the consideration of evidence relative to mental capacity to proceed to trial in criminal cases; modifies the statute with respect to the burden of proof regarding mental capacity determinations; to provide for procedure after determination of mental capacity; and to repeal provisions authorizing the release of a defendant on probation.
Direct link: http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=504659

SB 114/Act 2 (Sen. Martiny): This bill provides for the salary of the State Public Defender and clarifies that executive staff, regional directors, and secretarial, clerical, and other personnel directly employed in the operations of the board shall be state employees. All other personnel employed or who serve under contract in a district office shall not be state employees and shall be considered local employees of the district. The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget may approve other employees hired pursuant to the Louisiana Public Defender Act as state employees upon recommendation of the board.
Direct link: http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=498237


2007: The 2007 Legislative Session ended with a milestone accomplishment: passage of the Louisiana Public Defender Reform Act. There was also an additional increase of nearly $10 million over the previous yearís appropriation, bringing appropriation for fiscal year 2008 to 400% of the appropriation in fiscal year 2004.

HB 1/Act 18 (Rep. Alario): HB 1 provides for the general operating expenses of state government. HB 1/Act 18 provides $28.5 million for public defense in fiscal year 2008.
Direct link: http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=450256

HB 393/Act 95 (Rep. Winston): Louisiana law requires that both the child and the parents are required to be represented in child protection cases. If the child and/or parents are indigent, this burden falls to the public defender office. Act 95 provides resources and an implementation program to enable public defender offices to provide this representation while avoiding conflict of interest.
Direct link: http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=445216

HB 436/Act 307 (Rep. Martiny): This legislation creates the Louisiana Public Defender Board (LPDB) and provides for the delivery of public defense services in the state of Louisiana. This substantial bill was co-authored by 92 legislators, reflecting both broad recognition of the crisis and commitment to the reform. This bill further provides for the qualification, hiring and training of appropriate state executive staff; the adoption of mandatory guidelines and standards of practice in the delivery of public defense services; provides penalties and disciplinary action for non-compliance; and creates the possibility of regionalization for districts failing to maintain acceptable standards of service.
Direct link: http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=449902

HB 765/Act 203 (Rep. Alario): Provides supplemental funds in the amount of $1 million to the Louisiana Indigent Defender Assistance Board/Louisiana Public Defender Board for information technology.
Direct link: http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=448862