House Bill No. by Representative Boyer aims to amend the sentencing guidelines for violent offenders in Louisiana. The bill introduces Chapter 2-A to Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, specifically R.S. 15:524, which establishes new penalties for individuals convicted of felony crimes of violence. Under the proposed law, unless the district attorney files an information regarding a previous conviction under the Habitual Offender Law, a person convicted of a third felony crime of violence will face a minimum sentence of 50% of the maximum sentence for a first conviction, while those with a fourth or subsequent conviction will face a minimum of 75% of the maximum sentence for a first conviction.
Additionally, the bill amends Code of Criminal Procedure Article 817(B) to allow the submission of prior convictions to the jury, which was previously excluded from consideration. This change enables juries to include specific findings of fact regarding prior convictions when determining penalties. The bill is officially titled "The Segus Jolivette Act" and seeks to enhance the accountability of violent offenders through stricter sentencing measures.