Bill > HB126

This bill, titled "Provides relative to the use of a facility dog by a witness during certain circumstances," expands the circumstances under which a witness can be accompanied by a facility dog, which is a specially trained dog to provide comfort and support. Previously, this provision applied only to witnesses under eighteen years of age or those with a developmental disability. Now, it also includes victims of sex offenses, as defined in R.S. 15:541. The bill also modifies the procedures for managing the facility dog's presence in court to ensure it doesn't improperly influence the jury. Specifically, courts may now order that the dog be obscured from the jury's view at all times and can instruct the jury on the dog's role, either on the court's own initiative or at the request of a party. The bill also mandates that the dog be trained and that its entry and exit from the courtroom occur outside the jury's presence, with precautions taken to keep the dog hidden from them. Finally, the bill updates the short title of the law to "Duvall and Karissa's Law."