LA HR344

Creates the Task Force on Substance Use amongst Incarcerated and Released Populations to study substance use causes and effects among people in parish prisons, state prisons, probation/parole, transitional work programs, and the foster care system

Task force includes 17 members from state agencies (Public Safety and Corrections, Health, Children and Family Services), universities (LSU Health Shreveport, Southern University, Loyola), law enforcement associations, and advocacy organizations

Responsibilities include examining substance use scope and its relationship to recidivism, reviewing current treatment programs, analyzing racial/gender/socioeconomic disparities, and proposing legislative changes to improve treatment access

First meeting required by September 1, 2025, with a comprehensive report due to the legislature by January 31, 2026

Background: 73% of Louisiana inmates have substance use issues contributing to criminal behavior (compared to 58% national average), and drug-related prison deaths rose from 2% in 2015 to nearly 12% in 2021