House Bill No. [insert number] proposes amendments to the procedures surrounding capital cases in Louisiana, specifically regarding the execution of death sentences. The bill amends R.S. 15:567 and R.S. 15:570, introducing new provisions such as requiring the sheriff to serve the execution warrant upon the secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, and establishing that the trial court must reset the execution date within 30 days of a stay or reprieve. Additionally, it allows for the execution to proceed on the originally fixed date if a stay is dissolved before the expiration of the designated time period.

The bill also modifies the list of individuals permitted to witness an execution. It replaces the requirement for a priest or minister with a spiritual advisor, and allows the secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to determine the number of additional witnesses, rather than adhering to a fixed minimum and maximum. Furthermore, the execution time is adjusted to begin at 4:00 p.m. instead of 6:00 p.m., and the existing law that mandated executions occur between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. is repealed. The bill is set to take effect upon the governor's signature or after the lapse of the time for gubernatorial action.

Statutes affected:
HB394 Original: 15:567(B), 15:570(A)(5)