In 1996, as a new Republican, Kennard authored and obtained passage of "Truth In Sentencing" legislation, which mandates that a person convicted of a violent crime must serve 85 percent of the sentence. The change virtually abolished "good time." For his work in passing the legislation, Kennard received the "Crime Fighter of the Year" award from the organization Victims and Citizens Against Crime. He was also recognized by the Law Enforcement Association of America for his support of local, state, and national law enforcement in authoring and passing the first legislation in the nation to protect officers injured on the job by prison inmates. ALEC considers this model legislation. Kennard was a strong supporter of former East Baton Rouge Parish [[Sheriff]] [[Elmer Litchfield]], a Republican who served for twenty-three years before retiring late in 2006. | In 1996, as a new Republican, Kennard authored and obtained passage of "Truth In Sentencing" legislation, which mandates that a person convicted of a violent crime must serve 85 percent of the sentence. The change virtually abolished "good time." For his work in passing the legislation, Kennard received the "Crime Fighter of the Year" award from the organization Victims and Citizens Against Crime. He was also recognized by the Law Enforcement Association of America for his support of local, state, and national law enforcement in authoring and passing the first legislation in the nation to protect officers injured on the job by prison inmates. ALEC considers this model legislation. Kennard was a strong supporter of former East Baton Rouge Parish [[Sheriff]] [[Elmer Litchfield]], a Republican who served for twenty-three years before retiring late in 2006. |