15:538

Title 15. Criminal Procedure

Chapter 3-a. Sexual Offender Law

15:538 Conditions of probation, parole, and suspension or diminution of sentence

A. (1) No sexual offender, whose offense involved a minor child, shall be eligible for probation, parole, or suspension of sentence unless, as a condition thereof, the sexual offender is prohibited from engaging in any business activity which provides goods, services, instruction, or care to and requires the offender to engage in a significant amount of direct contact with minor children.

(2) No sexual offender, whose offense involved a minor child, shall be eligible for probation, parole, or suspension of sentence unless, as a condition thereof, the sexual offender is prohibited from engaging in any volunteer work activity which provides goods, services, instruction, or care to or requires the offender to engage in direct contact with minor children. When the volunteer activity does not require the offender to engage in such contact with minor children due to the nature of the volunteer activity, the sex offender shall nonetheless provide notice to the officer or director of the volunteer organization of his status as a convicted sex offender prior to engaging in any volunteer work activity with the organization. No volunteer organization, nor any officer or director thereof, shall be civilly liable for any injury caused by a violation of the provisions of this Subsection.

B. No sexual offender shall be eligible for probation, parole, or suspension of sentence unless, as a condition thereof, the sexual offender is prohibited from engaging in any unsupervised business or volunteer work activity which provides goods, services, instruction, or care to and requires the offender to engage in a significant amount of direct contact with potential victims who are minor children.

C. (1)(a) No sexual offender, whose offense involved a minor child who is twelve years old or younger; or

(b) Who is convicted two or more times of a violation of R.S. 14:42, 42.1, 43, 43.1, 43.2, 43.3, 43.4, 78, 78.1, or 89.1 shall be eligible for probation, parole, or suspension of sentence or diminution of sentence if imposed as a condition by the sentencing court pursuant to R.S. 15:537(A), unless, as a condition thereof, the offender undergoes a treatment plan based upon a mental health evaluation which plan shall effectively deter recidivist sexual offenses by the offender, thereby reducing risk of reincarceration of the offender and increasing safety of the public, and under which the offender may reenter society. Serial sexual offenders sentenced pursuant to R.S. 15:537(B) shall not be eligible for parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

(2)(a) “Mental health evaluation”, as used in this Subsection, means an examination by a qualified mental health professional with experience in treating sexual offenders.

(b) The treatment plan may include:

(i) The utilization of medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment or its chemical equivalent as a preferred method of treatment.

(ii) A component of defined behavioral intervention if the evaluating qualified mental health professional determines that is appropriate for the offender.

(3)(a) The provisions of this Subsection shall only apply if parole, probation, or suspension or diminution of sentence is permitted by law and the offender is otherwise eligible.

(b) If on probation or subject to a sentence that has been suspended, the offender shall begin medroxyprogesterone acetate or chemically equivalent treatment as ordered by the court or a qualified mental health professional and medical staff.

(c) If medroxyprogesterone acetate or chemically equivalent treatment is part of an incarcerated offender’s treatment plan, the offender shall begin such treatment six weeks prior to release.

(d) The offender shall continue treatments during incarceration and any suspended sentence, probation, or parole, unless it is determined that the treatment is no longer necessary.

(4) Before beginning medroxyprogesterone acetate or chemical equivalent therapy as required by the provisions of this Subsection, the offender shall be informed about the uses and side effects of medroxyprogesterone therapy, and provide the department with a written acknowledgment that he has received this information.

(5) The offender shall be responsible for the costs of the evaluation, the treatment plan, and the treatment.

(6)(a) Chemical treatment pursuant to this Subsection shall be administered by the state through a licensed medical practitioner.

(b) Any physician or qualified mental health professional who acts in good faith in compliance with this Subsection in the administration of treatment shall be immune from civil or criminal liability for his actions in connection with such treatment.

(7) Failure to continue or complete treatment pursuant to this Subsection shall be a ground for revocation of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. Good time earned may be forfeited pursuant to R.S. 15:571.4.

(8) If an offender voluntarily undergoes a permanent, surgical alternative to hormonal chemical treatment for sex offenders, he shall not be subject to the provisions of this Subsection.

(9) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Subsection.

D. (1) No sexual offender, whose offense involved a minor child, shall be eligible for probation, parole, or suspension of sentence unless, as a condition thereof, the sexual offender is prohibited from:

(a) Going in, on, or within one thousand feet of the school property of any public or private elementary or secondary school, or the physical presence in any motor vehicle or other means of conveyance owned, leased, or contracted by such school to transport students to or from school or a school-related activity when persons under the age of eighteen years are present on the school property or in a school vehicle.

(b) Going in, on, or within one thousand feet of any of the following:

(i) Early learning center as defined by R.S. 17:407.33.

(ii) Residence in which child care services are provided by a family child care provider or in-home provider who is registered pursuant to R.S. 17:407.61 et seq.

(iii) Residential home as defined by R.S. 46:1403.

(iv) Playground.

(v) Public or private youth center.

(vi) Public swimming pool.

(vii) Free standing video arcade facility.

(i) Public or private elementary or secondary school.

(ii) Early learning center as defined by R.S. 17:407.33.

(iii) Residence in which child care services are provided by a family child care provider or in-home provider who is registered pursuant to R.S. 17:407.61 et seq.

(iv) Residential home as defined by R.S. 46:1403.

(v) Playground.

(vi) Public or private youth center.

(vii) Public swimming pool.

(viii) Free standing video arcade facility.

(d) Communicating, either in written or oral form, with the victim or a family member of the victim, unless the victim consents to such communication in writing.

(2)(a) It shall not be a violation of Subsection (D)(1)(a) of this Section if the offender has permission to be present on school premises from the superintendent of the school board in the case of a public school or the principal or headmaster in the case of a private school.

(b) If permission is granted to an offender to be present on public school property by the superintendent for that public school pursuant to this Paragraph, then the superintendent shall notify the principal at least twenty-four hours in advance of the visit by the offender. This notification shall include the nature of the visit and the date and time in which the sex offender will be present in the school. The offender shall notify the office of the principal upon arrival on the school property and upon departing from the school. If the offender is to be present in the vicinity of children, the offender shall remain under the direct supervision of a school official.

(3) For purposes of this Subsection:

(a) “School property” means any property used for school purposes, including but not limited to school buildings, playgrounds, and parking lots.

(b) “Sexual offender” means a person defined as a sex offender in R.S. 15:536(A).

(4) Whoever violates the provisions of this Subsection shall have his probation, parole or suspension of sentence revoked and shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.

(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Subsection, a requirement that a defendant not go in, on, or within one thousand feet of certain premises does not apply to a defendant while the defendant is in or going immediately to or from a:

(a) Community supervision and corrections department office;

(b) Premises at which the defendant is participating in a program, activity or work required as a condition of community supervision;

(c) Residential facility in which the defendant is required to reside as a condition of community supervision, if the facility was in operation as a residence for defendants on community supervision on June 1, 2004; or

(d) Private residence at which the defendant is required to reside as a condition of community supervision.

(6) Any sexual offender, whose offense involved a minor child, and who was placed on probation or was paroled prior to August 15, 2004, and is on probation or parole as of August 15, 2005, shall have the following prohibitions added as conditions of probation and parole pursuant to Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 895 and 896 or R.S. 15:574.4 and 574.7:

(b) Going in, on, or within one thousand feet of any of the following:

(i) Early learning center as defined by R.S. 17:407.33.

(ii) Residence in which child care services are provided by a family child care provider or in-home provider who is registered pursuant to R.S. 17:407.61 et seq.

(iii) Residential home as defined by R.S. 46:1403.

(iv) Playground.

(v) Public or private youth center.

(vi) Public swimming pool.

(vii) Free standing video arcade facility.

(i) Early learning center as defined by R.S. 17:407.33.

(ii) Residence in which child care services are provided by a family child care provider or in-home provider who is registered pursuant to R.S. 17:407.61 et seq.

(iii) Residential home as defined by R.S. 46:1403.

(iv) Playground.

(v) Public or private youth center.

(vi) Public swimming pool.

(vii) Free standing video arcade facility.

(d) Communicating, either in written or oral form, with the victim or a family member of the victim, unless the victim consents to such communication in writing.

E. (1) In cases where the sexual offender has been convicted of or where adjudication has been deferred or withheld for the perpetration or attempted perpetration of a sex offense as defined in R.S. 15:541 and the victim of that offense is a minor, the court or the committee on parole may, if the department has the equipment and appropriately trained personnel, as an additional condition of probation or parole, authorize the use of truth verification examinations to determine if the sexual offender has violated a condition of probation or parole. If ordered by the court or the committee on parole as a condition of probation or parole, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, division of probation and parole, is hereby authorized to administer a truth verification examination pursuant to the order of the court or the committee on parole and the provisions of this Subsection.

(2) Any examination conducted pursuant to the provisions of this Subsection shall be subsequent to an allegation that the sexual offender has violated a condition of probation or parole or at the discretion of the probation or parole officer who has reason to believe that the sexual offender has violated a condition of probation or parole.

(3) The truth verification examination shall be conducted by a trained and certified polygraphist or voice stress examiner.

(4) The results of the truth verification examination may be considered in determining the level of supervision and treatment needed by the sexual offender and in the determination of the probation or parole officer as to whether the sexual offender has violated a condition of probation or parole; however, such results shall not be used as evidence in court or by the committee on parole to prove that a violation of a condition of probation or parole has occurred.

(5) The sexual offender may request a second truth verification examination to be conducted by a trained and certified polygraphist or voice stress examiner of his choice. The cost of the second examination shall be borne by the offender.

(6) For purposes of this Subsection:

(a) “Polygraph examination” shall mean an examination conducted with the use of an instrument or apparatus for simultaneously recording cardiovascular pressure, pulse and respiration, and variations in electrical resistance of the skin.

(b) “Truth verification examination” shall include a polygraph examination or a voice stress analysis.

(c) “Voice stress analysis” shall mean an examination conducted with the use of an instrument or apparatus which records psychophysiological stress responses that are present in a human voice when a person suffers psychological stress in response to a stimulus.

Added by Acts 1994, 3rd Ex.Sess., No. 126, § 1. Amended by Acts 1995, No. 1265, § 1, eff. June 29, 1995; Acts 1997, No. 746, § 1; Acts 1999, No. 525, § 1; Acts 1999, No. 1209, § 1; Acts 2004, No. 178, § 2; Acts 2005, No. 503, § 2; Acts 2009, No. 210, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2009; Acts 2012, No. 705, § 1; Acts 2018, No. 5, § 2.