Gov. Bobby Jindal signs bill that will fold Board of Parole into pardon board
by Jeff Adelson - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- The state's Board of Parole will be eliminated and its duties given to the pardon board under a bill signed into law by Gov. Bobby Jindal Tuesday. The governor also signed into law a prohibition on selling cats and dogs on most public properties. The state's Board of Pardon, which traditionally makes recommendations on which prisoners should be granted a commuted sentence by the governor, will be expanded to take over work now done by the parole board, as a result of House Bill 518 by Rep. Joseph Lopinto III, R-Metairie. The combined board, which will now have two additional members, will gain the responsibility to recommend when an inmate deserves parole. Members of the board will be required to work at the position full time and not have any other professional or public office. Those positions will pay the same amount as the current parole board receives, with salaries ranging from $44,000 for regular members to $50,000 for the board's chairman.