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Committee approves expanded victim and witness notification system; adds escape‑reporting requirements after New Orleans breach
Summary
House Bill 4 79, a comprehensive victim and witness notification bill modeled on a Texas system, was reported favorable with an amendment adding mandatory jail‑escape notification procedures after the New Orleans incident highlighted gaps in interagency alerts.
A broad bill to build a centralized, up‑to‑the‑minute notification system for crime victims and witnesses — modeled on Texas’ system — advanced from the House Appropriations Committee after members adopted a targeted amendment prompted by a recent New Orleans jail escape.
Representative Mandy Landry described House Bill 4 79 as a "comprehensive bill" to ensure victims and witnesses receive real‑time notice of hearings, releases, escapes and other events. The bill would create a central portal and require law enforcement and corrections systems to connect through the Integrated Criminal Justice Information System (ICJIS/CJIS) policy board and state IT resources.
An amendment offered by Rep. Valarie Villio requires jail officials to immediately notify law enforcement, victims, witnesses and local media when an inmate escapes custody and to follow defined procedures for escape and recapture notifications. Villio said the change was necessary following the New Orleans incident, where the committee heard evidence that a break was not reported to potential victims for nine and a half hours.
Christopher Walters, deputy executive counsel to the governor, and other administration officials told the committee the Office of Technology Services and the CJIS board have funds and technical work already under way that could lower the total cost of implementing a portal; they requested a revised fiscal note before floor action. OTS officials have indicated existing CJIS funding could cover a large share of connection work, with additional portal costs the primary new expense.
Committee members praised the bill’s intent and the amendment, which Vice Chairman Hughes said was a necessary “common‑sense” measure. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorable, and members requested updated IT and fiscal estimates from OTS and the CJIS board before the bill reaches the House floor.
