STAR Releases 2018 Legislative Scorecard

BATON ROUGE, LA (September 5, 2018) — Today Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response (STAR) released its inaugural 2018 Legislative Scorecard highlighting the leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to improving laws and policies to better support and protect survivors of sexual trauma and end sexual violence in Louisiana. The purpose of the scorecard is to educate Louisiana residents on the policies that impact the prevention and response to sexual violence and the legislators that advocated for them. The scorecard should not be used punitively, but more as a guide on where advocates can focus their educational efforts. During the 2018 legislative session, STAR tracked 16 key bills affecting services to crime victims and prevention of sexual violence. These bills included: comprehensive sex education (HB 499), a revision to an existing law on the age for mandatory reporting (HB 443), a prohibition on nondisclosure agreements that are used to conceal criminal activity (SB 233), the creation of a sexual assault oversight commission (SB 101), and many more that addressed the prevention or response to sexual violence. In honor of their continued dedication to improving laws regarding sexual violence in the State of Louisiana, Senator JP Morrell and Representative Patricia “Pat” Smith are presented as STAR’s Legislative Champions for 2018. These two legislators sponsored 10 out of the 16 key bills identified in the Scorecard. STAR also recognizes 10 members of the Louisiana State Senate and 37 members of the Louisiana House of Representatives as our “Shining STARs” across Louisiana who are highlighted for their perfect scores on STAR’s key bills. These incude: Senators Regina Barrow (D-Baton Rouge), Wesley T. Bishop (D-New Orleans), Gerald Boudreaux (D-Lafayette), Troy Carter (D-New Orleans), Page Cortez (R-Lafayette), Jay Luneau (D-Alexandria), Fred H. Mills, Jr. (R-New Iberia), Jean-Paul Morrell (D-New Orleans), Karen Carter Peterson (D-New Orleans), Edward Price (D-Gonzales), and Gary L. Smith, Jr. (D-Norco). Representatives Neil Abramson (D-New Orleans), Andy Anders (D-Vidalia), John Bagneris (D-New Orleans), Robert Billiot (D-Westwego), Joseph Bouie (D-New Orleans), Ken Brass (D-Vacherie), Terry Brown (I-Colfax), Barbara Carpenter (D-Baton Rouge), Gary Carter (D-New Orleans), Robby Carter (D-Amite), Kenny Cox (D-Natchitoches), Royce Duplessis (D-New Orleans), Franklin Foil (R-Baton Rouge), A.B. Franklin (D-Lake Charles), Randal Gaines (D-LaPlace), Jerry Gisclair (D-Larose), Cedric Glover (D-Shreveport), Jeffrey Hall (D-Alexandria), Jimmy Harris (D-New Orleans), Paul Hollis (R-Covington), Marcus Hunter (D-Monroe), Katrina Jackson (D-Monroe), Patrick Jefferson (D-Homer), Sam Jenkins (D-Shreveport), Robert A. Johnson (D-Marksville), Sam Jones (D-Franklin), Edmond Jordan (D-Baton Rouge), Terry Landry (D-New Iberia), Bernard LeBas (D-Ville Platte), Walt Leger, III (D-New Orleans), Rodney Lyons (D-Harvey), Tanner Magee (R-Houma), Denise Marcelle (D-Baton Rouge), Barbara Norton (D-Shreveport), Patricia Haynes Smith (D-Baton Rouge), Joseph Stagni (R-Kenner), and Malinda White (D-Bogalusa). Additionally, there are 8 members of the Louisiana State Senate and 16 members of the Louisiana House of Representatives that STAR recognizes as our “Rising STARs,” who scored 90-99% on our key bills. These include: Senators John Alario (R-Westwego), Norby Chabert (R-Houma), Ronnie Johns (R-Lake Charles), Daniel Martiny (R-Metairie), Dan Morrish (R-Jennings), Gregory Tarver (D-Shreveport), Francis Thompson (D-Delhi), and Rick Ward, III (R-Port Allen). Representatives Chad Brown (D-Plaquemine), Charles Chaney (R-Rayville), Patrick Connick (R-Marrero), Jean-Paul Coussan (R-Lafayette), Chris Hazel (R-Pineville), Stephanie Hilferty (R-New Orleans), Frank Hoffmann (R-West Monroe), Frank Howard (R-Many), Edward “Ted” James (D-Baton Rouge), Dustin Miller (D-Opelousas), Nicholas Muscarello (R-Hammond), Vincent Pierre (D-Lafayette), Rogers Pope (R-Denham Springs), Steve Pylant (R-Winnsboro), Eugene Reynolds (D-Minden), and Julie Stokes (R-Kenner). STAR will recognize their Legislative Champions, as well as our “Shining STARs” and “Rising STARs” indicated in the Scorecard, at our Champions of Change Gala on Wednesday, November 7th from 6:00—9:00 p.m. at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters at City Park in New Orleans. Interested parties and members of the press should direct inquiries to Racheal Hebert at (225) 615-7093 ext 102 or racheal.hebert@star.ngo. Click here to review the 2018 Legislative Scorecard.