A.  The department shall operate prison enterprises for the following purposes, which shall be given priority in the order listed:

(1)  To utilize the resources of the department in the production of food, fiber, and other necessary items used by the inmates in order to lower the cost of incarcerating the inmates.

(2)  To provide products and services to state agencies and agencies of parishes, municipalities, other political subdivisions, and public employees.

(3)  To provide work opportunities for inmates in accordance with law.

B.(1)  The department may enter into cooperative endeavors with and request studies or reports from private citizens, the Louisiana State University Cooperative Extension Service, and the public colleges and universities in this state for the purposes of encouraging and facilitating production and marketing of agricultural commodities and research in the area of production of agricultural commodities and for the purpose of acquiring advice on the most cost effective utilization of the products of its agricultural system.

(2)  Should the department enter into such cooperative endeavors or receive such studies or reports as provided in Subsection A of this Section it shall do the following:

(a)  Prepare an annual written summary of any recommendations made within three years preceding the date of the summary by any person or entity who has participated or is participating in a cooperative endeavor or who is making or has made a study or report, excluding any recommendations made prior to July 1, 1984, which summary shall be co-signed by such person or entity.

(b)  Prepare a report of the specific actions taken by the department with regard to such recommendations.

(c)  Prepare a report of the reasons why any such recommendation was not fully implemented.

(d)  Transmit the summary and the reports to the House and Senate Committees on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture and Rural Development, the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice of the House of Representatives, the Legislative Fiscal Office, and the persons or entities which made the recommendations by the first of April of each year.

Added by Acts 1983, 1st Ex.  Sess., No. 59, §1, eff. Feb.  7, 1983; Acts 1985, No. 983, §1; Acts 2003, No. 116, §2, eff. May 28, 2003; Acts 2007, No. 289, §1.

{{NOTE:  SEE ACTS 1983, NO. 691, REGARDING THE PRISON ENTERPRISES FUND.}}