Amid concerns about the cost of the measure, a Louisiana legislator shelved a proposal Wednesday that would expand the number of people on home incarceration.
State Rep. Joe Harrison, R-Napoleonville, said House Bill 1039 could save the state millions of dollars by increasing the use of GPS ankle bracelets for first- and second-time offenders.
He told the state House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice that the offenders would pay the roughly $40 a month for monitoring the bracelets.
“This is an important piece of legislation to save our state a considerable amount of money,” Harrison said.
However, state Department of Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc said his agency still would have to bear the cost of assigning probation and parole officers to the offenders.
“This is a step in the right direction. I’m just real concerned about the funding side,” he said.
At the end of lengthy discussion about the legislation, the committee’s chairman, state Rep. Joe Lopinto, turned to Harrison.
“I assume you voluntarily defer?” asked Lopinto, R-Metairie.
Harrison agreed to shelve the proposal, at least for now.
