§1604. Witness Protection Services Board; composition; powers and duties

A.(1) The Louisiana Witness Protection Services Board, referred to in this Chapter as the "board", is hereby created and established within the office of the governor and shall provide for the supervision, administration, and delivery of witness protection services. The board shall be a body corporate with the power to sue and be sued.

(2) The board and its agents and employees shall be subject to the Code of Governmental Ethics.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 42:11 et seq., the board may meet in private session to consider and take action on matters concerning the awarding of protective services to, the identity of, or the location of a critical witness or any immediate family member of a critical witness.

B. The board shall be domiciled in East Baton Rouge Parish and shall be comprised of seven members as follows:

(1) The superintendent of the office of state police or his designee, who shall be a law enforcement officer.

(2) The attorney general or his designee, who shall be an attorney employed in the office of the attorney general.

(3) One member, who shall be a retired judge with criminal law experience, appointed by the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Louisiana.

(4) One member of the Louisiana Senate appointed by the president of the Louisiana Senate.

(5) One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(6) One member appointed by the governor from a list of three nominees submitted by the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association.

(7) One member appointed by the governor from a list of three nominees submitted by the Louisiana District Attorneys' Association.

C. Four members shall constitute a quorum, and all actions of the board shall require the affirmative vote of at least four members.

D. The governor shall appoint the chairman of the board, and the board shall annually elect such other officers from among its members as the board deems appropriate.

E. The board shall meet at such times and places as may be fixed by the board.

F. Notwithstanding R.S. 42:11 et seq., the board may conduct meetings through telecommunication and teleconference.

G.(1) The board may employ an executive director and such other personnel as it deems necessary in its administration of this Chapter.

(2) The board may appoint such committees or persons as it deems necessary to advise or assist it in the administration of this Chapter.

(3) The board may incur all necessary and proper expenses.

(4) The board may adopt all rules necessary to implement the provisions of this Chapter. All rules shall be adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.

H. The board shall establish procedures to maximize federal funds for witness protection services.

I. The board shall oversee the state's witness protection services program and coordinate the efforts of state and local law enforcement agencies to protect the health, safety, and welfare of critical witnesses or immediate family members of critical witnesses, including but not limited to the administration and approval of funding for witness protection services.

J. The board shall have the right to employ outside legal counsel.

Acts 2009, No. 263, §1.