§957. Exemptions

            A. The following shall be exempt from the restrictions and prohibitions of this Chapter:

            (1) Private and public institutions of primary, secondary, or higher education.

            (2) Federal, state, and local governments and any political subdivisions thereof as well as federal, state, and local law enforcement officials acting within their statutory authority.

            (3) Qualified museums or research institutions.

            (a) A "qualified museum or research institution" means an entity that is a juridical person pursuant to Louisiana law that has an explicitly stated educational or research purpose as part of their mission and juridical personage registration.

            (b) A qualified museum or research institution shall submit notification of retention of human remains in its possession to the Louisiana Department of Justice within one year of June 17, 2016.

            (c) A qualified museum or research institution, upon reasonable notice, shall submit to the attorney general for analysis any human skeletal remains in its possession.

            (d) A qualified museum or research institution shall notify the Louisiana Department of Justice within six months of any acquisition of known human remains not included in any initial disclosure under this Chapter.

            B. The Louisiana Department of Justice shall hold in a centralized database all records of qualified museums and research institutions, exempt as provided in this Section, that have complied with the requirements of this Chapter.

            Acts 2016, No. 531, §1, eff. June 17, 2016.