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New, Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform Legislation Announced by Attorney General Jeff Landry, Senator Rick Ward, Representative Denise Marcelle, and Other Members of the Drug and Specialty Courts Commission

Legislation will quickly identify individuals with substance use disorders who become involved in the criminal justice system and hopefully provide early intervention and treatment

BATON ROUGE, LA – New legislation is being introduced in the Louisiana Legislature to expand and improve drug and specialty courts across the State.

Flanked by fellow members of the Drug and Specialty Court Commission – Attorney General Jeff Landry, Senator Rick Ward, and Representative Denise Marcelle announced this bipartisan criminal justice reform effort that would invest settlements, judgments, and penalties recovered by our State as a result of the opioid crisis into saving resources, lives, and families across Louisiana.

“Oftentimes, Louisiana squanders away opportunities because, instead of doing a few great things, we chose to do a lot of nothings,” said Attorney General Landry. “Today, we change that same old failed approach.”

“Drug courts work; and they should be an option for all our State’s citizens, whether they live in Jackson Parish or Jefferson Parish,” continued Attorney General Landry. “The legislation proposed by Senator Ward can make that possible by creating a Drug and Specialty Court fund in the state treasury to deposit compensation recovered from opioid manufacturers, marketers, and sellers who stoked the fire of the epidemic.”

The fund would be disbursed to state and local entities which provide and enable treatment courts across Louisiana. It would expand drug testing for arrestees to quickly identify individuals with substance use disorders who become involved in the criminal justice system and hopefully provide early intervention and treatment for them.

“Any time that we can do something to make people safer, to make people healthier, to cut down on recidivism – I am all on board,” said Representative Marcelle. “I am proud to be a part of this bipartisan relationship.”

Attorney General Landry expressed hope for swift passage of the measure, concluding “This is not a Republican bill or a Democrat bill; rather, it is a Louisiana bill and it is one that will reduce crime, reduce drug use, and reduce costs to taxpayers.”