Policy Impact

Advocacy beyond the courtroom


Through testimony, advocacy, and negotiations, we’ve helped narrow some of Louisiana’s most harmful legislative proposals and secure key protections for children and families. See our recent key victories below!

HB 140

Juvenile Court Trial Timelines 

What made this bill harmful?

This bill would have greatly extended the amount of time children could be held in the juvenile legal system before trial, creating longer delays and undue trauma.

LCCR negotiated major reductions to the proposed timeline expansions, preventing some of the most harmful delays. We also secured added confidentiality protections for children’s arrest photos and intake records

SB 396

Review Hearings for Incarcerated Youth

What made this bill harmful?

 This bill sought to eliminate in-person review hearings for incarcerated children, limiting young people’s ability to appear before a judge during critical review proceedings.

LCCR secured amendments requiring incarcerated youth to receive in-person review hearings at least every six months, while also guaranteeing confidential attorney access before any virtual hearing.  

SB 74

Kids Transferred to Adult Court

What made this bill harmful?

This bill would have automatically transferred 15 and 16-year-olds accused of any felony to adult court for serious crimes.

LCCR successfully defeated this bill in its entirety. We testified against it multiple times, leading to its failure twice in the Senate Finance Committee and its ultimate end. This was a major victory for our children!  

NO TO THEM ALL, Y’ALL

4 Amendments that threatened schools, communities & kids

LCCR helped defeat a collection of 4 harmful amendments, including Amendment 3, which would have removed the constitutional protection that keeps children under 17 in juvenile court unless they are accused of a serious offense that the voters of Louisiana have agreed could justify moving a case to adult court. This could have led to kids of any age being transferred to adult court for offenses as minor as shoplifting, without the approval of voters.

WATCH HOW WE FIGHT AT THE CAPITOL

SEE HOW WE ADVOCATE ONLINE

A CLIENT WIN

We can advocate so fiercely for our clients like this 9th grader largely because of the fierce support we receive from our community, made up of people like you.


INVEST IN OUR YOUTH