§573.1. Prohibited contact with Board of Pardons; penalties; public record

A. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 15:574.12, or any other provision of law to the contrary, no person shall contact or communicate with the Board of Pardons or any of its members urging pardon, clemency, or commutation of sentence, 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 Board of Pardons.

B. Any communication with the Board of Pardons urging pardon, clemency, or commutation of sentence, or otherwise 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 R.S. 44:1 et seq.

C. Any member of the Board of Pardons 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 board 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 under consideration for pardon, clemency, or commutation of sentence, or any letter written in opposition to pardon, clemency, or commutation of sentence. The exception provided by this Subsection shall not apply to any elected or appointed public official.

F. The Board of Pardons 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.