JUVENILES: Removes Evangeline Parish as a member of the Acadiana Regional Juvenile Justice District
Summary
HB 36 makes a narrow change to Louisiana law governing the Acadiana Regional Juvenile Justice District. The bill removes Evangeline Parish from the district’s territorial membership in R.S. 15:1109, so the district will no longer include that parish among the local governments it serves.
The bill also updates the district’s governing commission in R.S. 15:1109.1 to reflect that change. It reduces the commission from 11 members to 10 by repealing the seat tied to Evangeline Parish and renumbering the remaining commissioner provisions. The bill is effective upon gubernatorial signature, lapse of time for signature, or after legislative override of a veto.
Impact
HB 36 amends the statutes creating and governing the Acadiana Regional Juvenile Justice District, specifically R.S. 15:1109 and R.S. 15:1109.1. Its legal effect is to exclude Evangeline Parish from the district and eliminate the parish’s associated commissioner seat, thereby changing both the district’s geographic scope and the composition of its board of commissioners. No broader juvenile justice policy changes are made beyond this membership and governance adjustment.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been noncontroversial. It passed the House unanimously, 93-0, and there is no recorded committee transcript indicating opposition or extended debate. The final action shows it was signed by the Governor as Act 780, suggesting the measure was accepted without significant resistance.
Contention
The only notable point of contention, based on the text, would be the removal of Evangeline Parish from a regional juvenile justice district and the loss of its representation on the commission. That change could affect local participation in district governance and service coordination, but no explicit opposition is reflected in the available votes or discussion materials. The committee amendment was technical and did not alter the bill’s core purpose.