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Committee advances measure to centralize victims’ rights notices and build a statewide victim information system
Summary
House Bill 479 was reported with amendments. The bill tasks criminal-justice entities and the Integrated Criminal Justice Information Systems Board with building a victim information portal and seeks to consolidate victims’ rights; advocates said better notice and training for victim advocates is needed.
Deputy executive counsel Christopher Walters presented House Bill 479 on behalf of the governor, describing the bill as a first step toward a consolidated, statewide victim‑notification and information system. Walters said the Integrated Criminal Justice Information Systems Policy Board (ICJIS) would set standards to allow courts, clerks, law enforcement, district attorneys and corrections to share designated data to populate a secure portal for registered victims.
Jill Dennis of the Louisiana Victim Action Network testified in support and urged mandatory training for victim advocates so victims receive consistent information about rights and services: “Our victims deserve to have the justice,” she told senators, adding advocates often must inform victims about procedural tools such as victim impact statements.
Support came from sheriff’s offices and victim‑service groups; the committee adopted a small set of technical amendments (set 26‑99) clarifying standards, governance, and an omitted victims’‑rights element that was added back into the statutory cross‑reference. The committee reported HB 479 with amendments.
