Bill > HB101

This bill amends Louisiana's law regarding compensation for individuals who have been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned, making several significant changes to the process and requirements for seeking such compensation. The bill tightens the standards for proving factual innocence, requiring petitioners to provide new, reliable, and legally admissible evidence that was not known at the time of trial, such as scientific forensic evidence or corroborated testimonial evidence. It reduces the time frame for filing a compensation petition from two years to one year after a conviction is reversed, and shifts the financial responsibility for compensation from a state Innocence Compensation Fund to the parish where the original conviction occurred. The bill also introduces more stringent procedural requirements, including a specific finding of factual innocence by a court and a higher evidentiary standard that would prevent a rational juror from finding the petitioner guilty. Additionally, the legislation limits legal recourse by stipulating that filing a compensation petition or receiving compensation acts as a waiver and bar to future legal actions related to the wrongful conviction, effectively making the compensation process the exclusive remedy for individuals seeking redress for their wrongful imprisonment.

Justice

https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=25rs&b=HB101&sbi=y