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Dear Advocates,

We request your immediate support on two bills related to sexual abuse and two bills related to domestic violence that are scheduled to be heard in committee Wed., May 13, at the Capitol.
Sexual Abuse

SUPPORT HB 596 AND HB 435 - Submit Statements

ACTION: Please email your statements in support of HB 596 and HB 435 to jacksonf@legis.la.gov before 3 p.m. on Tues., May 12, 2020, to ensure your statement is included in the House Health and Welfare Committee record.

HB 596 by Rep. Ivy and HB 435 by Rep. Jordan are scheduled to be heard in the House Health and Welfare Committee on Wed., May 13, 2020, at 9 a.m.  These bills are nearly identical, but both require specific informed consent by patients prior to pelvic or rectal examinations of patients who are unconscious or anesthetized unless the examination is medically necessary . 

According to the Ethics Committee of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, if any pelvic examination planned for an anesthetized woman offers her no personal benefit and is performed solely for teaching purposes, it should be performed only with her specific informed consent, obtained before the surgery. This same consent should be obtained for male patients undergoing rectal examinations for teaching purposes only.

NOTE: Only statements emailed to jacksonf@legis.la.gov and received prior to 3 p.m., Tues., May 12, 2020, will be included in the record for this House Health and Welfare Committee meeting on Wed., May 13, 2020, at 9 a.m. All persons desiring to participate in the meeting shall utilize appropriate protective health measures and observe the recommended and appropriate social distancing. 

HB 596 , authored by Rep. Barry Ivy, provides relative to nonconsensual pelvic or rectal examinations by healthcare providers and medial students.

HB 435 , authored by Rep. Edmond Jordan, provides relative to nonconsensual pelvic or rectal examinations by health care providers and medical students.
Domestic Violence

SUPPORT HB 212 AND HB 451 - Submit Statements

ACTION: Please email statements supporting HB 212 and HB 451 to weinmans@legis.la.gov before 1 p.m. on Tues., May 12, 2020, to be included in the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee record.

HB 212 by Rep. Marino and HB 451 by Rep. Hilferty are scheduled to be heard in the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee on Wed., May 13, 2020, at 1 p.m.

HB 212

HB 212, authored by Rep. Joseph Marino, provides relative to domestic abuse.  

HB 212 provides the following specific penalties that are applied when the crime domestic abuse battery or battery of a dating partner is committed under the following circumstances: 

  1. When the offense is committed with a dangerous weapon, in addition to any other penalties imposed, the offender shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not more than ten years. 
  2. When the offense is committed with a dangerous weapon and when the offender intentionally inflicts serious bodily injury, in addition to any other penalties imposed, the offender shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not more than 15 years. 

Proposed law further adds offenses committed under the proposed law circumstances described above and domestic abuse battery and battery of a dating partner involving strangulation to the present law list of crimes of violence. 

HB 451

HB 451, authored by Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, provides relative to hearsay exceptions in domestic abuse cases. 

HB 451 adds a hearsay exception for certain recorded statements made by persons alleging domestic or dating partner abuse and adds a presumption that the failure to appear pursuant to a subpoena by a victim of domestic or dating partner abuse is a result of wrongdoing on the part of the defendant. This bill is needed to assist victims of domestic violence who fear testifying before their abusers due to coercion, threats, retaliation, and harassment by or on behalf of their abusers.  This bill will lead to more domestic violence prosecutions and less dropped cases.
Thank you for fighting with United Way for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in our community. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Kim Sport
Public Policy Committee Chair
United Way of Southeast Louisiana
Charmaine Caccioppi
Executive Vice President & COO
United Way of Southeast Louisiana

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