COURTS: Provides that activities of the Integrated Criminal Justice Information System Policy Board be performed by the Louisiana Supreme Court. (gov sig)

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jay Morris

The policy board governing the Integrated Criminal Justice Information System would move from the governor’s office to the Louisiana Supreme Court, with the Court handling its staf

Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 357.

Purpose and intent

SB 141 aims to relocate the jurisdiction and administration of the Integrated Criminal Justice Information System Policy Board from the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice (office of the governor) to the Louisiana Supreme Court. The bill also clarifies that the Supreme Court would perform the related functions previously carried out by the commission.

Key provisions and changes

Jurisdiction shift:

Replaces the current environment in which the policy board operates under the governor’s office and commission with a new framework placing the policy board under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Administrative and staffing arrangements:

The Supreme Court would provide the policy board with necessary clerical, professional, or technical staff (as required by the board).
The policy board, with the concurrence of the chief executive officer of the involved agency, may request additional personnel or temporary technical assistance from any unit of the executive branch of state government.
Under the new arrangement, the Supreme Court would perform the functions that the commission previously performed related to the policy board.

Effective date:

The act becomes effective upon the governor’s signature or, if not signed, upon the lapse of the time for gubernatorial action.
If vetoed and subsequently approved by the legislature, the bill becomes effective the day after approval.

Who/what is affected

Policy Board: The Integrated Criminal Justice Information System Policy Board would operate under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Administrative support: Staffing and administrative functions (clerical, professional, technical) currently provided by the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice would shift to the Supreme Court.

Executive branch coordination: The policy board could still request temporary personnel or technical assistance from other state executive units, with concurrence from the chief executive officer of the involved agency.

Procedural and timeline notes

Legal amendments: The bill amends and reenacts R.S. 15:1228 and 1228.5(4) to implement the jurisdictional and administrative shift.

Effective timing: Automatically effective upon governor’s signature or constitutional lapse of action; otherwise follows standard gubernatorial action timelines. A veto but legislatively approved path would set effectiveness the day after approval.

Legislative history: Introduced by Senator Morris with co-sponsor Senator Jay Morris; moved through engrossment and reengrossment stages with floor amendments for technical adjustments.

Practical impact and considerations

The change centralizes policy board governance within the judiciary rather than the executive branch, which could affect governance dynamics, reporting lines, and possible changes in how policy recommendations and system oversight are coordinated.

Administrative support continuity is preserved, with the Supreme Court taking on staffing responsibilities for the policy board, subject to the board’s needs and concurrence on temporary personnel from other state agencies.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison of current law vs. the proposed changes or a plain-language brief for non-legal audiences.

Bill