§938. Civil remedies

A. The department may institute civil proceedings seeking injunctive relief to restrain and prevent violations of this Chapter or the laws or administrative rules administered or enforced by the department.

B. The department may also institute civil proceedings seeking civil damages from any person who knowingly violates any provision of R.S. 25:937. Civil damages shall include any or all of the following:

(1) Forfeiture of any and all equipment used in disturbing the historic cemetery or isolated grave.

(2) Payment of any and all costs incurred in cleaning and restoring the affected portions of the historic cemetery or the isolated grave.

(3) Payment of any and all costs associated with protecting the historic cemetery or isolated grave from further damage or in restoring the historic cemetery or isolated grave to its original condition.

(4) Payment of any and all costs associated with recovery of data, and analyzing, publishing, accessioning, and curating materials when the prohibited activity is so extensive as to preclude the restoration of the historic cemetery or isolated grave.

(5) Payment of any and all costs associated with the reinterment of the human skeletal remains.

(6) Payment of any and all costs associated with determining and collecting the civil damages, including but not limited to filing fees, attorney fees, court costs, fees associated with discovery and the testimony of expert witnesses, and collection costs.

C. The department may bring actions for injunctive relief or civil damages in either the district court for the parish of East Baton Rouge or in the district court where the historic cemetery or isolated grave is located.

D. The attorney general shall represent the department in all matters pertaining to the administration or enforcement of this Chapter, or both, except in those matters in which the department has employed special counsel. The department may employ and shall fix the compensation of such special counsel with the concurrence of the attorney general and in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding employment of special counsel.

E. Civil damages, except for attorney fees, recovered by the department, subject to applicable provisions of law, shall be used by the department to implement and enforce the provisions of this Chapter and to fund activities of the division in regard to restoration and protection of historic cemeteries and isolated graves, in accordance with regulations adopted by the department and other applicable laws. Attorney fees shall be paid to the Louisiana Department of Justice.

F. The provisions of this Chapter shall in no way limit the exercise of concurrent jurisdiction by other state agencies in the prosecution of criminal or civil lawsuits for violations of the provisions of this Chapter.

Acts 2010, No. 707, §1, eff. June 29, 2010.