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Judiciary C committee reports a package of criminal‑justice bills, including tougher elder‑abuse penalties and evidence reforms
Summary
The Judiciary C committee reported a slate of criminal‑justice and public‑safety bills favorably, including measures to allow electronic access to child‑victim video statements, increase penalties for cruelty to elderly or disabled residents, clarify post‑conviction relief procedure, and permit seizure/forfeiture for reckless off‑road vehicle use. One retroactivity amendment on a jury‑trial threshold bill failed on a roll call.
The Judiciary C committee met and reported a series of criminal‑justice and public‑safety bills, advancing measures that the attorney general and local prosecutors brought to the panel.
House Bill 995, presented early by Representative Lacombe and supported by Darren Aleman of the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s office, would permit district attorneys to provide copies of videotaped statements of protected persons via electronic access while preserving constitutional rights of defendants. The committee voted to report HB 995 favorably by unanimous consent.
The committee adopted an amendment and reported House Bill 98 favorably with the amendment; sponsors said the bill strengthens confidentiality protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and minor victims and adds penalties for intentional disclosure. Larry Freeman of the attorney general’s office and other AG staff were repeatedly present in support across bills.
Law‑enforcement and prosecutors generally supported several other bills reported favorably by the committee, including HB 336 (statutory deadlines and procedures for post‑conviction Rhine…
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