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Victims and educators testify as committee advances bill raising penalties for assaults on school staff
Summary
A measure that would increase penalties when students attack teachers cleared Judiciary C with amendments after survivors and educators described long-term injuries and advocates debated mandatory minimums for juveniles and protections for students with exceptionalities.
Representative Newell asked the committee to report HB 133 favorably; the bill would increase penalties for students who commit assaults on teachers and set incarceration parameters where great bodily harm results.
The Louisiana District Attorneys Association explained requested amendments designed to avoid confusion between juvenile and adult proceedings and to preserve judicial discretion in cases involving developmental disabilities. Zac Daniels told the committee the amendments remove duplicative statutory language and avoid improperly limiting the children's-code process.
Multiple witnesses described traumatic incidents. A teacher's written statement read into the record recounted long-term injuries and disability following an attack in the classroom. Susie Labrie and Nikita Drummond Clark gave personal testimony about physical injuries and the emotional toll that forced early retirement; Clark described repeated blows with a door that required surgery and ongoing medical care.
Opponents, including the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, raised concerns about mandatory minimums for juveniles and the risk that strict mandatory terms could increase dropouts or otherwise harm youth who need individualized dispositions; the witness said she was willing to continue working with the sponsor.
The committee adopted an amendment set requested by prosecutors to clarify juvenile/adult procedure and reported the bill with amendments. The sponsor said statutory reliance on the children's code remains and that the penalties apply only where serious bodily injury is shown.
