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A.  Notwithstanding the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 15:574.12, or any other provision of law to the contrary, no person shall contact or communicate with the committee on parole or any of its members urging parole, or otherwise regarding any inmate except in the following ways:

(1)  In an open hearing as provided in this Part.

(2)  By written letter addressed to the committee on parole.

B.  Any communication with the committee on parole regarding an inmate as provided in Paragraph A(2) of this Section shall be deemed a public record and subject to public inspection as provided by the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 44:1 et seq.

C.  Any member of the committee on parole improperly contacted by an individual shall immediately notify the individual in writing accompanied by a copy of this Section of law that such contact is illegal and inappropriate, cease the inappropriate communication with the individual, and report the contact to the other committee members.

D.  Any person who violates the provisions of this Section after being informed of the inappropriate contact as provided in Subsection C of this Section shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.

E.  This Section does not apply to any letter written by, or on behalf of, any victim of a crime committed by the inmate eligible for parole, or any letter written in opposition to the inmate’s being placed on parole.  The exception provided by this Subsection shall not apply to any elected or appointed public official.

F.  The committee on parole shall adopt rules and regulations to provide for uniform notification procedures pursuant to Subsection C of this Section, and a method of documenting which persons have received such notification.

Acts 1997, No. 821, §1; Acts 2012, No. 714, §8.