Louisiana § RS 18:1511.8 - Secrecy of proceedings

§ RS 18:1511.8. Secrecy of proceedings

            A. Each complaint received by the supervisory committee, each review by the committee of reports for compliance with the provisions of this Chapter, and all information forwarded to or gathered by the supervisory committee with regard to such complaints or reviews and all investigation and proceedings of the supervisory committee with regard to the same shall be kept strictly confidential until such time that action with which the supervisory committee or the district attorney has proceeded, or in the case of possible criminal violations in campaigns for district attorney any action with which the attorney general has proceeded, becomes a public record, the prescriptive period has elapsed, or the matter is otherwise finally disposed of. In no event shall such records, evidence, testimony, notes or other data become public records unless and until civil or criminal charges have been instituted in accordance with this Chapter. This prohibition, however, shall not preclude the supervisory committee from: (a) divulging statistical information concerning complaints, reviews, alleged violations, referrals to district attorneys, and similar matters, or (b) divulging that a review or investigation was made or a complaint received with regard to a person or committee, and, upon investigation, no substantial reason was found to believe that a violation of this Chapter has occurred.

            B. The attorney general or district attorney shall, prior to the use of any such accounts or records in any criminal proceeding, file a motion in a court of proper jurisdiction requesting a determination by such court of the relevancy or materiality of such accounts or records to a prosecution for violation of this Chapter. The court shall render such determination at an in camera proceeding which shall be confidential and not open to the public. If the court determines that the aforementioned accounts or records are relevant and material to the prosecution in accordance with this Chapter, then such accounts or records shall cease to be confidential in nature and may be introduced as evidence in a criminal proceeding without further restriction. The proceedings in connection with this Subsection shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure¹ governing motions to suppress evidence.

            C. Prior to the use of any such accounts or records in any civil proceeding, the supervisory committee shall file a motion with the Ethics Adjudicatory Board or in a court of proper jurisdiction requesting a determination by the Ethics Adjudicatory Board or the court of the relevancy or materiality of such accounts or records to an action for violation of this Chapter. The Ethics Adjudicatory Board or court shall render such determination at an in camera proceeding which shall be confidential and not open to the public. If the Ethics Adjudicatory Board or court determines that the aforementioned accounts or records are relevant and material to an action in accordance with this Chapter, then such accounts or records shall cease to be confidential in nature and may be introduced as evidence in a proceeding without further restriction.

            Acts 1980, No. 786, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1981; Acts 2024, No. 137, §1.