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ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1064
BY REPRESENTATIVES FREIBERG, CHASSION, FREEMAN, GREEN, LAFLEUR,
TERRY LANDRY, MARCELLE, AND WALTERS
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 13:842.5, relative to establishing the Domestic Violence Intervention Court
3 Pilot Program within the Nineteenth Judicial District Court; to provide for legislative
4 findings and intent; to provide for the creation of a post-adjudication Domestic
5 Violence Intervention Court within the Nineteenth Judicial District Court; to provide
6 for eligibility criteria and participant requirements; to provide for services to victims;
7 to require the use of a coordinated team by the court; to provide for data collection;
8 to provide for reporting requirements; to provide for the sunset of the pilot program;
9 and to provide for related matters.
10 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 13:842.5 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 §842.5. Domestic Violence Intervention Court Pilot Program; Nineteenth Judicial
13 District Court
14 A. The legislature hereby finds and declares that domestic violence remains
15 a significant public safety and public health issue in this state. Traditional
16 sentencing models have not sufficiently reduced recidivism among domestic
17 violence offenders. Evidence-based intervention courts that combine judicial
18 supervision with treatment, accountability, and victim safety planning have
19 demonstrated improved outcomes. Post-adjudication domestic violence courts
20 promote victim safety, offender accountability, reduced recidivism, and coordinated
21 community response. It is therefore the intent of the legislature to establish a
22 two-year pilot Domestic Violence Intervention Court within the Nineteenth Judicial
23 District Court to evaluate effectiveness and to determine feasibility for a statewide
24 expansion.
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1 B.(1) There is hereby established a two-year pilot program known as the
2 Domestic Violence Intervention Court, referred to in this Section as the "DVIC",
3 within the Nineteenth Judicial District Court.
4 (2) The DVIC shall operate as a post-adjudication specialty court for eligible
5 defendants convicted of misdemeanor or felony offenses including but not limited
6 to second degree battery, aggravated battery, and other domestic abuse-related
7 offenses.
8 (3) Participation in the program is voluntary. A defendant may consult with
9 legal counsel prior to entering a guilty plea and being sentenced to the DVIC.
10 Participation shall be ordered as a special condition of probation to be completed in
11 addition to all other conditions of probation in accordance with Code of Criminal
12 Procedure Articles 893 et seq. Participants shall be subject to the supervision and
13 authority of the DVIC presiding judge. The presiding judge may, at any time during
14 the probationary period, impose additional conditions of probation as authorized by
15 Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 893 et seq. Final eligibility to participate in the
16 program shall be determined by the presiding judge of the DVIC.
17 C.(1) Eligible participants include defendants who are convicted of domestic
18 abuse-related offenses and assessed as at-risk of reoffending using validated risk
19 assessment tools.
20 (2) Participants shall do all of the following:
21 (a) Appear regularly before the court.
22 (b) Comply with individualized case plans.
23 (c) Be subject to graduated sanctions and incentives.
24 D. The DVIC shall provide all of the following:
25 (1) Batterer intervention programming that includes the following
26 components:
27 (a) A nationally recognized, evidence-based, cognitive behavioral therapy
28 model specifically designed for domestic abuse.
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1 (b) The Stop, Take a step back, Observe, Proceed mindfully (STOP)
2 technique for screening, trauma-informed assessment, and cognitive behavioral
3 restructuring.
4 (2) Clinical assessment and individualized treatment planning.
5 (3) Substance abuse screening and referral when appropriate.
6 (4) Mental health screening and referral.
7 (5) Employment readiness assistance.
8 (6) Housing and transportation assistance.
9 (7) Case management services, including compliance monitoring and
10 coordination with probation.
11 E.(1) Nothing in this Section shall be construed as requiring a victim's
12 participation in the DVIC. All services are voluntary and available to the victim
13 regardless of participation status. The rights and services available to victims are in
14 addition to those rights as defined in R.S. 46:1844 et seq. The DVIC shall prioritize
15 victim safety in all phases of participation.
16 (2) Victims participating in the DVIC shall be provided with the following
17 services and protections:
18 (a) A victim services advocate prior to a defendant entering the DVIC to
19 assist with representation, services, and other assistance as required by the victim.
20 (b) Notification of all court proceedings and compliance statuses.
21 (c) Attendance of the victim services advocate at court proceedings to
22 provide information if the victim is unable or unwilling to attend in person but
23 wishes to have matters addressed by the court.
24 (d) Safety planning information and referrals to community-based
25 organizations.
26 (e) Information regarding local domestic violence shelters.
27 (f) Trauma-informed support services.
28 (g) An award of restitution, when applicable.
29 (h) Authorization to request GPS monitoring of the defendant, when
30 applicable.
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1 F. The DVIC shall operate with a coordinated team, including but not limited
2 to the following:
3 (1) The presiding judge.
4 (2) The district attorney.
5 (3) The public defender.
6 (4) A probation officer.
7 (5) A clinical provider.
8 (6) A program coordinator.
9 (7) A case manager.
10 (8) A victim services advocate.
11 G.(1) The program shall collect data including all of the following:
12 (a) Recidivism rates.
13 (b) Program completion rates.
14 (c) Compliance with protective orders.
15 (d) Victim safety indicators.
16 (2) An independent evaluator shall conduct annual and final evaluations of
17 participants.
18 (3) A report shall be submitted by the Nineteenth Judicial District Court to
19 the legislature and the Louisiana Supreme Court at the conclusion of the two-year
20 pilot program.
21 H. The pilot program authorized by this Section shall be effective for a
22 period of two years unless extended by the legislature.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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