Committee rejects Newell bill setting mandatory family notification and reporting for in-custody deaths

Representative Newell brought House Bill 3 23 to the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee on April 28, asking the panel to require consistent, prompt notification and reporting after any death in state or parish custody. Newell said the proposal would ensure "families are informed and that appropriate authorities are notified" and would create a single baseline for all facilities when a person dies in custody.

Family members and advocates delivered emotional testimony about delayed notices and learning of deaths from social media and the news. Blake Corley, an attorney representing the family of Antonio Dukes, told the committee his clients "learned that your child had died from the news," and urged the committee to pass the bill so other families would not be left without answers. Chandra Shea Foster of the Southern Poverty Law Center recounted learning of a relative
s death secondhand and said HB 3 23 is about "dignity, transparency and accountability." Several witnesses asked for independent reviews, a public reporting timeline, and the ability for families to request independent autopsies.

Correctional officials told the committee that the Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DOC) already follows internal notification procedures and files death reports with the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (LCLE). DOC chief medical officer Dr. Randy Lavisphere described DOC
s existing three-tier review (facility, DOC, coroner), said the department supports transparency and accountability, but cautioned that the bill contains "conflicting requirements" and potentially unrealistic timelines. DOC legal counsel said local jails, which operate under separate basic jail guidelines, are a particular implementation challenge and noted some notification delays reflected unanswered emergency-contact calls rather than agency inaction.

Committee members pressed witnesses on practical implementation, the role of coroners and autopsy timelines, and whether the statute would expedite receipt of a death certificate; witnesses said coroners control autopsy decisions and that reporting practices vary among parishes. Multiple family members described long waits for coroners
reports, delayed or no notifications and lost opportunities for closure.

Representative Knox moved to report HB 3 23 favorably. Representative Fontenot objected and requested a roll-call vote. The committee's roll call returned yeas 3, nays 8; the motion failed. During debate members who opposed said they supported the bill
s goals but had unresolved concerns about federal and local processes and potential conflicts with existing procedures.

Next steps: Because the motion to report favorably failed on a roll call, proponents said they would continue to negotiate implementation details, timelines, and the interplay with coroners and local-jail rules before seeking a renewed committee vote.