In a press release sent on September 8th, the U.S. Commission on Civl Rights announced that, “they will convene a series of public, web-based briefings to discuss the role of coroners in involuntary commitments in Louisiana. The Louisiana Advisory Committee will issue findings and recommendations in a report to the Commission after all testimony has been received.”
Chair Tia Mills said, ‘The Louisiana Advisory Committee is eager to understand whether unqualified coroners and deputy coroners are executing Coroner Emergency Certificates. We also hope to understand whether, to what extent, and how the role of coroners in the involuntary commitment of individuals experiencing mental health crises may violate due process protections on the basis of disability. Finally, we seek information on whether there are potential civil rights concerns on the basis of race, color, or national origin in order to inform our report to the
Commission.”
The Committee seeks testimony from citizens, mental health professionals, public officials, community organizations, and community advocates, as well as documentary evidence from such individuals.
Date: September 29, 2025 from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Central Time
Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/v8utjvms
Telephone Access (Audio Only): 1-833-435-1820, Webinar ID: 160 488 9280
Date: October 27, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Central Time
Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/2ed8zrnh
Telephone Access (Audio Only): 1-833-435-1820, Webinar ID: 160 927 8965
Closed captioning is available by selecting “CC” in the Zoom meeting platform. Individuals requiring accommodations should contact Corrine Sanders at csanders@usccr.gov at least 10 business days prior to the briefing.
Members of the public will be invited to make oral comments for three minutes on the topic at the conclusion of the briefing. Members of the public are also invited to submit written comments to mtrachtenberg@usccr.gov within 30 days of the briefings to be included in the public record.”
To view or download a .pdf copy of this press release in our accessible viewer, use the button below:
You can also visit: https://www.usccr.gov/meetings/2025/09-29-louisiana-advisory-committee-public-briefing-role-coroners-involuntary
#####
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, established by the 1957 Civil Rights Act, is the only independent, bipartisan federal entity charged with advising the President and the Congress on civil rights and reporting annually on federal civil rights enforcement.
Its 51 advisory committees offer broad perspectives on civil rights concerns in their jurisdictions. For more information, please visit www.usccr.gov.
