Louisiana could become second state with domestic violence offender registry under proposed bills
BATON ROUGE, La. - Nearly half of all Louisianans have reported experiencing domestic violence, according to a survey conducted by Tulane University, and lawmakers want communities to know when a person convicted of domestic abuse is in a community.
Two bills moving through the state capitol could create a database of repeat abusers, similar to the sex offender registry that the Louisiana State Police Department maintains.
If passed, Louisiana would be the second state in the nation to have such a registry, following Tennessee. It would require habitual offenders to register on a publicly accessible website.
Some worry that the proposals, while noble, might have unintended consequences.
Mariah Wineski, Executive Director of the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, says providing information about someone convicted of domestic violence inherently provides information about their victim.
"That is definitely a concern for victim privacy," Wineski said.
