HB 1064

ENROLLED
 2026 Regular Session
  ACT No. 696
 HOUSE BILL NO. 1064
 BY REPRESENTATIVES FREIBERG, CHASSION, FREEMAN, GREEN, LAFLEUR,
  TERRY LANDRY, MARCELLE, AND WALTERS
1AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 13:842.5, relative to establishing the Domestic Violence Intervention Court
3Pilot Program within the Nineteenth Judicial District Court; to provide for legislative
4findings and intent; to provide for the creation of a post-adjudication Domestic
5Violence Intervention Court within the Nineteenth Judicial District Court; to provide
6for eligibility criteria and participant requirements; to provide for services to victims;
7to require the use of a coordinated team by the court; to provide for data collection;
8to provide for reporting requirements; to provide for the sunset of the pilot program;
9and to provide for related matters.
10 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11Section 1. R.S. 13:842.5 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
12§842.5. Domestic Violence Intervention Court Pilot Program; Nineteenth Judicial
13District Court
14A. The legislature hereby finds and declares that domestic violence remains
15a significant public safety and public health issue in this state.  Traditional
16sentencing models have not sufficiently reduced recidivism among domestic
17violence offenders.      Evidence-based intervention courts that combine judicial
18supervision with treatment, accountability, and victim safety planning have
19demonstrated improved outcomes. Post-adjudication domestic violence courts
20promote victim safety, offender accountability, reduced recidivism, and coordinated
21community response. It is therefore the intent of the legislature to establish a
22two-year pilot Domestic Violence Intervention Court within the Nineteenth Judicial
23District Court to evaluate effectiveness and to determine feasibility for a statewide
24expansion.
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1B.(1) There is hereby established a two-year pilot program known as the
2Domestic Violence Intervention Court, referred to in this Section as the "DVIC",
3within the Nineteenth Judicial District Court.
4(2) The DVIC shall operate as a post-adjudication specialty court for eligible
5defendants convicted of misdemeanor or felony offenses including but not limited
6to second degree battery, aggravated battery, and other domestic abuse-related
7offenses.
8(3) Participation in the program is voluntary. A defendant may consult with
9legal counsel prior to entering a guilty plea and being sentenced to the DVIC.
10Participation shall be ordered as a special condition of probation to be completed in
11addition to all other conditions of probation in accordance with Code of Criminal
12Procedure Articles 893 et seq. Participants shall be subject to the supervision and
13authority of the DVIC presiding judge. The presiding judge may, at any time during
14the probationary period, impose additional conditions of probation as authorized by
15Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 893 et seq. Final eligibility to participate in the
16program shall be determined by the presiding judge of the DVIC.
17C.(1) Eligible participants include defendants who are convicted of domestic
18abuse-related offenses and assessed as at-risk of reoffending using validated risk
19assessment 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.
24D. The DVIC shall provide all of the following:
25(1)    Batterer intervention programming that includes the following
26components:
27(a) A nationally recognized, evidence-based, cognitive behavioral therapy
28model specifically designed for domestic abuse.
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1(b) The Stop, Take a step back, Observe, Proceed mindfully (STOP)
2technique for screening, trauma-informed assessment, and cognitive behavioral
3restructuring.
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
10coordination with probation.
11E.(1) Nothing in this Section shall be construed as requiring a victim's
12participation in the DVIC. All services are voluntary and available to the victim
13regardless of participation status. The rights and services available to victims are in
14addition to those rights as defined in R.S. 46:1844 et seq. The DVIC shall prioritize
15victim safety in all phases of participation.
16(2) Victims participating in the DVIC shall be provided with the following
17services and protections:
18(a) A victim services advocate prior to a defendant entering the DVIC to
19assist 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
22provide information if the victim is unable or unwilling to attend in person but
23wishes to have matters addressed by the court.
24(d)       Safety planning information and referrals to community-based
25organizations.
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
30applicable.
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1F. The DVIC shall operate with a coordinated team, including but not limited
2to 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.
11G.(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
17participants.
18(3) A report shall be submitted by the Nineteenth Judicial District Court to
19the legislature and the Louisiana Supreme Court at the conclusion of the two-year
20pilot program.
21H. The pilot program authorized by this Section shall be effective for a
22period 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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