[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6224099,"mediaKeyId","3554500-6ef374a7f9f5cf66bfd2e6fecc7976bb","parentId",3554500,"title","Committee advances bill allowing law enforcement to mitigate 'nefarious drones' with exceptions for parades and productions","audioSeconds",211,"startMs",2065000,"endMs",2276000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3554500-6ef374a7f9f5cf66bfd2e6fecc7976bb&start=2065&end=2276","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3554500-6ef374a7f9f5cf66bfd2e6fecc7976bb/thumbnail_2065000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6224099/Louisiana/Committee-advances-bill-allowing-law-enforcement-to-mitigate-nefarious-drones-with-exceptions-for-parades-and-productions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6224099-1342671c624e7cbbae626c285a00b34e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394172&Signature=gMwzxdmY98kFoRjxMqm9Yb~YUL3VZxC6SLwg5cFJZUcDyPR6C3JPiU9Nr9GsnmnhKjVjdOrZpbBIphPa1rjp2nQHXxcTiMyvs5MuKl52JhNarI6ZF46x5sVkkZeOKVOOP~qLdda3eOGtGELS1-7V30S7cpj01jvJmW2wP34qgp0-BuYG4MybcXvJSEORsibmpG~Gkl15Pl3q~Tw1D6kSFj-qV~g-7OIfNQaCl~vyAku~mOA9Q4HD3zxrViuPgcfjaT1OENRfHnRE4oks-A7bPDKx5JxiPanJkF0xg9gwprQvWEGwaXxtZ4fCC34tH28DQdNomS4gEeP5qTsx97YTxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-05-28T00:00:00Z","article","BATON ROUGE, La. — House Bill 261, which would authorize state law enforcement to mitigate unmanned aircraft systems deemed nefarious, was reported favorably by the Senate Committee on Judiciary C on May 20 after committee members heard the measure and received assurances from State Police that it had been vetted.

Senator Kleinpeter, presenting the bill for the House sponsor, said the measure allows law enforcement to “mitigate nefarious drones” and includes an amendment exempting recognized uses such as parades and film productions to avoid unintended interference with legitimate activity. He said recent months have shown drones can carry heavier payloads and pose rising risks to sensitive facilities including petrochemical installations and nuclear plants.

The bill authorizes a range of mitigation measures, described in committee as including jamming, interception or physical capture, and grants law enforcement the authority to act under certain conditions. The committee record included white cards from State Police representatives and other aviation experts indicating willingness to provide technical information if requested; State Police were reported to have vetted the bill and raised no concerns in the hearing.

Committee members praised the bipartisan work with homeland security committees on both sides of the legislature. Senator Kleinpeter moved to report the bill favorably; no objection was recorded in the hearing and the bill will proceed to the Senate floor for additional consideration.

Discussion versus formal action: testimony and panel questions constituted discussion; the committee subsequently voted to report the bill favorably. The bill’s final scope, operational safeguards and any required cooperation with federal aviation authorities or the Federal Aviation Administration will be refined during further consideration.

Supporters in the hearing record included State Police and the Louisiana Sheriffs Association; no registered opposition appeared in the committee minutes provided.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Judiciary C May 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 261 would permit state law enforcement to mitigate drones deemed nefarious—including jamming, interception or physical capture—while providing exceptions for parades and film productions; committee reported the bill favorably after noting the State Police vetted it.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature LA, Louisiana","taxId",78558,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6224105,"Committee backs bill to expand and reallocate victim services funding paid by offenders",187,2734000,2921000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3554500-6ef374a7f9f5cf66bfd2e6fecc7976bb&start=2734&end=2921","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3554500-6ef374a7f9f5cf66bfd2e6fecc7976bb/thumbnail_2734000.jpg","/articles/6224105/Louisiana/Committee-backs-bill-to-expand-and-reallocate-victim-services-funding-paid-by-offenders","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6224105-ea2e15ccedd13f31b021867028e9cc54/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394172&Signature=Pw8zTOoI5DgiIUIUhrDxSzpTcVG6695mjKj-UNu19TL9q~yV4vg7bDc4geCPB500xDVvCt1awdXbHHd6-VqAyV521AiF2Vrv7zpdVnpNxKIYBOsu~DxCu990OBLsnfZJAEAz1QZX9WGUh5RjfmiuCc~2wGDJDKj~X8PYeqO-hySXVUASHhhMsXq7o~LhlJfJ3GXbdr--RKRdmNXjiPINBrNDGT4jYToMm6z~Ov9oUVCLYci6kYsxydDZIwxuHHCPahKbP3iSKYXab0KC-yY-pZr1~YJ3a8DWgb4UM9Qx0krEkPklM4Mxhcw6ocnqtMwtO9ZIg0l5IjmZwdKNVtnINQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BATON ROUGE, La. — The Senate Committee on Judiciary C on May 20 voted to report House Bill 163, a bill that would expand and repurpose an existing fund to provide sustained services for victims of human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault.

Representative Dickerson, who presented the bill in the committee, said HB 163 would amend the statute governing the Exploited Children's Special Fund to widen the scope of eligible offenses and create a mandatory $2,000 assessment payable by perpetrators of enumerated crimes. The bill directs 25% of the collections to children's advocacy centers, 25% to domestic violence shelters and 50% to sexual‑assault centers. The Governor’s Office on Human Trafficking would administer the fund; current administration of the fund by the Department of Children and Family Services would change under the proposal.

“Creating a sustainable source of funding for victim services paid for by the perpetrator of the enumerated crimes” was a primary stated goal, Representative Dickerson said. The bill lists 23 offenses that would trigger the assessment, including trafficking and related violent crimes.

Witnesses from victim‑service organizations registered in support but did not speak at length. Monica Taylor, director of the Governor’s Office on Human Trafficking, provided a white card and was identified as the intended administrator of the program if the bill passes. Committee members praised the approach as a way to stabilize funding for providers.

Senator Barrow indicated support and said he would co‑author the bill in the Senate. The committee moved and reported the bill favorably without recorded opposition in the hearing record.

Discussion versus formal action: testimony and committee comments constituted discussion; the committee voted to report the bill favorably. The measure will proceed to the Senate calendar for floor consideration and possible amendments.

If enacted, HB 163 would not reduce current court costs for law enforcement or DAs, the sponsor said, and would allocate specified percentages of collected assessments directly to victim service providers. The bill names the Governor’s Office on Human Trafficking as administrator and sets statutory distribution percentages for the fund.","House Bill 163 would expand the Exploited Children's Special Fund, add a $2,000 mandatory assessment on certain offenders, and direct proceeds to children's advocacy centers, domestic violence shelters and sexual‑assault centers, with the Governor's Office on Human Trafficking to administer funds.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6224109,"Senate panel clarifies execution procedures and witness rules in bill backed by governor's office",353,1207000,1560000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3554500-6ef374a7f9f5cf66bfd2e6fecc7976bb&start=1207&end=1560","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3554500-6ef374a7f9f5cf66bfd2e6fecc7976bb/thumbnail_1207000.jpg","/articles/6224109/Louisiana/Senate-panel-clarifies-execution-procedures-and-witness-rules-in-bill-backed-by-governors-office","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6224109-1a4e37e4dfebee907549abcd79d2e82e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394172&Signature=iYKexoO8P91W3oUqnLR1QXRaW2fiWZhj89VfuGi64DduZhtgwWRSDU9b9-IVLzyA3qXwkSEL5EOvWncs~JH9YHszMZThUGnjRSNwy2kW4WjvoWokNJUxQM2wZ0KDsyzOvLDGHDG~0W33Q5zUWeuMjwSKNi6QxqsI2vvHL8QIPXkp1wtvc13TY5ksjTI9aAP-0xt4Ej8LwOVynk0DMyk4L~2-a8O0ARv-HQ5cx3LjObKhdvbK-78fGcSFvFfIeUj8y9GZeJ8XPFNNR1QB68lmWzZw3JwfndY62AxT01hIprReDID0J9Cq6c7MyKbeTBYoxGBPkTs4ucoivsDD~cr-QA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BATON ROUGE, La. — The Senate Committee on Judiciary C on May 20 voted to report House Bill 394, a measure revising parts of state law governing executions, after hearing from the governor’s counsel about procedural clarifications learned from recent cases.

Christopher Walters, deputy executive counsel to Governor Landry, told the committee the bill addresses practical issues identified during Louisiana’s recent experience with carrying out a death sentence. The bill would specify who serves a court’s death warrant, clarify when a trial court must reset an execution date after a reprieve or vacated stay, amend permissible execution start times, and change the statutory phrasing for spiritual advisers and witness seating to give the Department of Public Safety and Corrections secretary discretion.

Walters said the bill borrows language from the Louisiana Supreme Court’s decision in the Hoffman litigation to resolve disputes that arose when stays issued and then vacated led to confusion about whether multiple resets were required. The bill would direct that, if a stay or pause is no longer pending at the time an execution date arrives, the execution may proceed; if a stay remains pending, the date must be reset.

The measure also standardizes the term “spiritual adviser” to replace narrower language like “priest or minister” and removes a fixed numerical limit on witnesses, giving the corrections secretary discretion because witness rooms have limited seating. The statute’s execution time window was broadened to provide flexibility in the event of last‑minute legal actions, moving from fixed earlier start times to a range allowing more time for resolution.

Senator Barrow said he objects in principle to the death penalty and noted he would not support the bill for that reason, but acknowledged the technical amendments. Committee discussion focused on clarifying the process rather than policy change; Walters emphasized the changes were technical and intended to avoid procedural confusion during a complex, resource‑intensive process.

The committee recorded one objection from Senator Barrow when the chair called for objections on reporting the bill favorably; notwithstanding the objection, the roll call showed the measure was reported favorably by a majority vote and will proceed to the Senate floor. The committee also had supporters on the record from the governor’s office and the Louisiana District Attorneys Association.

Discussion versus formal action: the committee heard informational testimony and then voted on the bill; the formal vote to report the bill passed despite a recorded objection. The bill’s next steps are Senate floor consideration and any subsequent amendments or debate there.

Supporters at the hearing included the governor’s counsel and representatives of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association; no registered opposition appeared in the hearing record.","House Bill 394, presented by the governor's office, would clarify who serves death warrants, set timing rules for resetting executions after stays, and allow the corrections secretary discretion over spiritual advisers and witness seating; the committee reported the bill favorably despite one objection.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6224114,"Senate committee adds 'intentional' to bill making cruelty to people with infirmities a felony‑murder predicate",1045,90000,1135000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3554500-6ef374a7f9f5cf66bfd2e6fecc7976bb&start=90&end=1135","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3554500-6ef374a7f9f5cf66bfd2e6fecc7976bb/thumbnail_90000.jpg","/articles/6224114/Louisiana/Senate-committee-adds-intentional-to-bill-making-cruelty-to-people-with-infirmities-a-felonymurder-predicate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6224114-795133d2c75ec44e44245418ad8b75bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394172&Signature=nxGBDz3VhS0uh2dl9yM1HLJGTYDkokTQjQBwVc56BMPLplBBQ5gHpMXaaDDB5kY8PSA-y5-JvAtaffDZH9kNlFtKOVjcxmKlLNEGWRxudtwyUkv~Lji8le1ThvP3SzkfD2uCiQsPBoE75P6ntegGtjt5kD5ppPaftCWa3Lr7Dl~1Rx9AfmU1eK9GtSiWjiIqi4WPAj~aLg6KwAtiy3CwFPQNmrCOvPyACkO-~LBgjQ0eYJUyFh87rnfx-amEHPndoE~3f9vtdrw8BjJecz4lPm22EF4EusRAnpgUXw7zd1r9cWRgp8uEceyAKD9Yjmg5CsFXnKBJaWee1NsM~2z5yg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BATON ROUGE, La. — The Senate Committee on Judiciary C voted May 20 to report House Bill 14 with amendments that add the word “intentional” to the statute making cruelty to persons with infirmities a predicate offense for felony murder.

The bill, sponsored in the House by Representative Cox and discussed in committee by prosecutors and advocates, would mirror an earlier provision that made cruelty to juveniles a felony‑murder predicate. Supporters said the change is intended to ensure deaths caused by abuse or severe neglect of dependent adults can be charged at a higher homicide level when appropriate.

Representative Cox, one of the bill’s House sponsors, told the committee the measure “just adds cruelty to persons with infirmities to the list of crimes” that can serve as predicates for felony murder. Darren Aleman of the Jefferson Parish district attorney’s office said the change was prompted by a local case in which an adult with a severe intellectual disability was “horrifically mistreated” and died; prosecutors were limited to manslaughter charges in that case. “Persons with infirmities ... are also uniquely dependent on their caretakers,” Aleman said, arguing the statute would protect future victims.

Brandy Melissa, an advocate who identified herself as a former caregiver, delivered emotional testimony describing long periods of hands‑on care for a loved one and urging the committee to close what she called a “fatal loophole.” “This bill ensures that when a person with infirmities from abuse dies from abuse or neglect, the justice system treats that death with the seriousness it deserves,” she said.

Megan Garvey, representing the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, raised a narrow statutory concern about mens rea. Garvey recommended expressly adding intentionality to the second‑degree murder predicate, arguing that some elements of the cruelty offense contain negligence language and that homicide charges carrying life sentences should clearly require intent. “I would just ask that we tighten this bill up to do what it seems like the sponsor and the DAs are hoping it will do,” she said.

Committee members and witnesses cited Louisiana Supreme Court precedent in State v. Small, which the D.A.’s office described as limiting the use of negligent failure to supervise as a predicate for murder, while permitting more direct acts of neglect — such as starving or malnourishment — to support a murder charge. Aleman told the panel that, under existing law and State v. Small, the legislature can make certain acts of neglect that result in death punishable as murder, but negligent failure to supervise is not a permissible predicate.

To address the defense concern, the committee adopted an amendment offered in concept to insert the word “intentional” before “cruelty” in the relevant line of the felony‑murder list. There was no recorded objection to adopting the amendment in concept. The committee then moved to report House Bill 14 with amendments; the motion carried without recorded opposition in the committee proceeding.

Discussion versus formal action: committee debate and witness testimony constituted discussion; the committee formally adopted the in‑concept amendment and voted to report the bill with that amendment. No floor vote on the bill was taken in committee; next steps include printing the amendment language formally and sending the measure to the Senate floor for consideration.

Supporters at the hearing included the Jefferson Parish district attorney’s office and members of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association; the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers registered a narrow objection focused on intent language and the committee addressed that concern through amendment.

If enacted, the bill would add cruelty to persons with infirmities to the enumerated list of offenses that, when committed in the course of certain felonies resulting in death, can elevate the homicide charge. The hearing record notes the committee’s intent to mirror earlier statutory treatment of cruelty to juveniles while shifting the bill language to require intentional cruelty where it triggers the more serious offense.

The committee did not specify a statutory effective date during the hearing. The bill will proceed to further legislative steps with the adopted amendment in place.","The Senate Committee on Judiciary C voted to report House Bill 14 with an amendment inserting the word “intentional,” narrowing when cruelty to persons with infirmities can serve as a predicate for felony murder. Supporters said the change protects vulnerable people; a defense group urged tighter language on intent.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances bill allowing law enforcement to mitigate 'nefarious drones' with exceptions for parades and productions

Committee backs bill to expand and reallocate victim services funding paid by offenders

Senate panel clarifies execution procedures and witness rules in bill backed by governor's office

Senate committee adds 'intentional' to bill making cruelty to people with infirmities a felony‑murder predicate