SB 143 — LAW ENFORCEMENT: Provides relative to funding of bulletproof vests for peace officers. (gov sig) (EN SEE FISC NOTE EX)

SLS 26RS-69 ENGROSSED Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE BILL NO.

143 BYBYSENATOREDMONDSANDREPRESENTATIVESADAMS,AMEDEE,BACALA, SENATORBOUDREAUX, EDMONDSBOYER, LAWENFORCEMENT.Providesrelativetofundingofbulletproofvestsforpeaceofficers.BRAUD, BROUSSARD, BRYANT, BUTLER, CARRIER, DICKERSON, FONTENOT, FREIBERG, HORTON,ILLG, JACKSON, MIKE JOHNSON,LACOMBE,MACK, MARTINEZ, NEWELL, OWEN, SAWYER, SCHAMERHORN, STAGNI AND VENTRELLA AN ACT To enact R.S.

(gov sig) AN ACT To enact R.S.

(1) Smaller local law enforcement agencies within this state often lack sufficient financial resources to provide adequate protective equipment, Page 1 of 54 Coding:

SLS 26RS-69 ENGROSSED SB NO.

143 ENROLLED sufficient financial resources to provide adequate protective equipment, including bulletproof vests, for their commissioned peace officers.

(3)(3)The The establishment of adedicatedfund is necessarytoassist locallaw enforcement agencies with limited financial capacity in acquiring bulletproof vests, thereby saving lives and enhancing officer safety.

C.(1)Thereis herebyherebyestablished established in thestatetreasury,as aspecial fund, the "Commission on Law Enforcement Bulletproof Vest Fund" thathereinafter shallreferred beto administeredin bythis theSection Louisianaas Commissionthe on"fund". Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice.

(2)AfterallocationofmoneytotheBondSecurityandRedemptionFund as provided in Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, the treasurer shall deposit into the fund any monies transferred, donated, or appropriatedtothefundbythelegislature.Thesourceofmoniesdepositedinto thefundmayincludegrants,donations,gifts,andanyfederalfundsreceivedfor the purchasefollowing: of bulletproof vests, or any other monies that are made available from any other sources that are collected for the purposes of this Section.

(3)(a) MoniesAny inmonies thetransferred fundor shallappropriated beto invested in the samefund mannerby asthe monieslegislature. inthestategeneralfund.Anyinterestearnedontheinvestmentofmoniesinthe Page 2 of 5 Coding:

(b) Donations, gifts, grants, or other revenue, including federal funds receivedforthepurchase of bulletproof vests, collectedfor the purposes of this Section and received by the state treasurer.

(3) Monies in the fund shall be invested in the same manner as monies inthestategeneralfund.Anyinterestearnedontheinvestmentofmoniesinthe Page 2 of 4 Coding:

SLS 26RS-69 ENGROSSED SB NO.

143 ENROLLED fund shall be credited to the fund.

(4) The legislature mayshall appropriate monies from the fund to the commission for any purpose authorized pursuant to this Section.

(2)Thecommissionshalladoptruleswithrespecttoall(2)Thecommissionshalladoptruleswith ofrespecttoall thefollowing:ofthefollowing:

and thatthatthevests the vests shall bewhollybe wholly manufacturedwithin nations that are a party to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement entered into force on July 1, 2020.

This Act shall become effective upon signature bythe governor or, if not signedbythegovernor,uponexpirationofthetimeforbillstobecomelawwithoutsignature Page 3 of 54 Coding:

SLS 26RS-69 ENGROSSED SB NO.

143 signedbythegovernor,uponexpirationofthetimeforbillstobecomelawwithoutsignatureENROLLED by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana.

ThePRESIDENT originalOF instrumentTHE andSENATE theSPEAKER followingOF digest,THE whichHOUSE constitutesOF noREPRESENTATIVES partGOVERNOR ofOF theTHE legislativeSTATE instrument,OF wereLOUISIANA preparedAPPROVED: bySenate Legislative Services.

ThePage keyword,4 summary, and digest do not constitute part of the4 lawCoding: or proof or indicia of legislative intent.

[R.S.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] DIGEST SB 143 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Edmonds Proposed law creates the "Commission on Law Enforcement Bulletproof Vest Fund", as a special fund, in the state treasuryto be administered by the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice.

Proposedlawdefines"commission","eligiblelawenforcementagency","fund",and"peace officer".

Proposed law requires monies in the fund to be invested in the same manner as monies in the general fund.

Proposed law provides that interest earned on investment of monies be credited to the fund and requires that unexpended and unencumbered monies in the fund at the end of the fiscal year remain in the fund.

Proposedlawrequiresthetreasurertodepositintothefundanymoniestransferred,donated, or appropriated to the fund bythe legislature.

The source of monies deposited into the fund may include grants, donations, gifts, and any federal funds received for the purchase of bulletproof vests, or any other monies that are made available from any other sources that are collected for the purposes of proposed law.

Proposed law authorizes the legislature to appropriate monies from the fund to the commission for any purpose authorized pursuant to proposed law.

Proposed law requires monies in the fund to be used solely to provide financial assistance toeligiblelawenforcementagenciesforthepurchaseofbulletproofvestsforcommissioned peace officers.

Proposedlawprovidesthatinawardingfunds,thecommissionmustgiveprioritytoeligible law enforcement agencies that demonstrate a lack of adequate bulletproof vests for their commissioned peace officers.

Proposed law authorizes the commission to consider the extent to which an agency lacks bulletproof vests, the number of officers without vests, and the agency’s financial needs when determining awards.

The commission may establish matching fund requirements or cost-sharing provisions as it deems appropriate.

Proposed law requires the commission to adopt rules with respect to all of the following:

(1) Standards for the issuance of bulletproof vests.

(2) Application procedures and requirements.

(3) Criteria for awarding funds.

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Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;