HLS 14RS-1677 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 136
BY REPRESENTATIVES SMITH, BARROW, AND ST. GERMAIN
ECONOMIC DEVEL/TRAINING: Requests the Department of Economic Development
to encourage new and existing Louisiana companies to create strategies that would
increase the number of women employed in STEM positions
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the Department of Economic Development to encourage new and2
existing Louisiana companies to create strategies aimed to increase the number of3
women employed in STEM positions.4
WHEREAS, STEM is an acronym and term referring to the fields of study in5
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; and 6
WHEREAS, schools across the state of Louisiana have recognized that STEM7
disciplines are the key to high-wage paying jobs across the country; and 8
WHEREAS, studies have frequently shown that the pay gap between women and9
men in Louisiana is among the largest in the country; and 10
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Women's Policy and Research Commission is the state11
commission charged with monitoring the status of Louisiana women for the purpose of12
evaluating their economic, educational, and health issues, identifying and analyzing trends13
that impact women's health and prosperity, and providing policy recommendations to14
address the challenges faced by women in our state; and 15
WHEREAS, research of the commission finds a current achievement gap between16
males and females in STEM disciplines in Louisiana; and17
WHEREAS, nationally, the wage gap between men and women improved slightly18
from 2011 to 2012 and according to the latest United States census data, women now earn19
seventy-eight and eight tenths cents on average to every dollar a man makes; and20 HLS 14RS-1677 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 136
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WHEREAS, during this time period from 2011 to 2012, the gender wage gap in1
Louisiana actually widened and in 2012, Louisiana women working full time, year-round2
earned just sixty-six and nine tenths cents for every dollar earned by a Louisiana man; and3
WHEREAS, in 2012, the Louisiana gender wage gap was thirty-three percent, a gap4
two cents greater than in 2011; and5
WHEREAS, the disparity in earnings between Louisiana women and men has6
consistently ranked Louisiana forty-ninth or fiftieth among the fifty states and the District7
of Columbia and in 2012, Louisiana was again fiftieth; and8
WHEREAS, research of the commission finds that the gender wage gap tends to be9
narrower in STEM disciplines and the wages are higher than in other fields; and 10
WHEREAS, the commission seeks to further the progress of women in our state by11
increasing the number of women employed in STEM positions; and 12
WHEREAS, special emphasis has been given to education reform measures13
implemented in our K-12 curriculum, such as mentoring programs and clubs supporting14
STEM that specifically encourage young women to pursue STEM disciplines; and15
WHEREAS, the same special emphasis given to education reform measures to16
encourage young women into STEM disciplines should necessarily be included in the17
strategies of Louisiana companies to encourage women to pursue STEM careers, thereby18
increasing the number of women in STEM positions; and 19
WHEREAS, companies relocating to Louisiana can show their commitment to20
women in STEM by encouraging the diversity of their current staff and by working with21
educational systems in Louisiana to promote women in STEM positions; and22
WHEREAS, the state should continue to encourage Louisiana firms offering STEM-23
related jobs to make these jobs known to students and graduates through both the Louisiana24
Connects and Star Jobs computer systems; and 25
WHEREAS, these portals have the potential to be essential two-way communication26
links between students, graduates, and employers, providing students and graduates with27
insight into available STEM jobs and the motivation to achieve academically in order to28
qualify for these careers; and 29 HLS 14RS-1677 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 136
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WHEREAS, through a collective effort between the Louisiana Women's Policy and1
Research Commission, the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus, the Office on Women's2
Policy, the Louisiana Department of Education, the Louisiana Board of Regents, and3
Louisiana Economic Development, there can be a strong commitment to seeing an increase4
in the number of women studying and working in STEM disciplines by crafting recruitment5
strategies highlighting STEM positions as open and available to women. 6
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby7
urge and request the Department of Economic Development to encourage new and existing8
Louisiana companies to create strategies aimed to increase the number of women employed9
in STEM positions. 10
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the11
secretary of the Department of Economic Development. 12
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Smith HCR No. 136
Urges and requests the Department of Economic Development to encourage new and
existing Louisiana companies to create strategies aimed to increase the number of women
employed in STEM positions.
Explains the most recent trends in wage disparities between women and men across the
nation and in the state of Louisiana.
Explains the meaning of STEM and its economic impact across the nation and our state
relative to the wage disparity between women and men.
Encourages companies relocating to Louisiana to show their commitment to women in
STEM by encouraging the diversity of their current staff and by working with educational
systems in Louisiana to promote women in STEM positions.
Urges the state to continue encouraging Louisiana firms offering STEM-related jobs to make
these jobs known to students and graduates through technological portals.
Encourages the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus, the Office on Women's Policy, the
Louisiana Department of Education, the Louisiana Board of Regents, and Louisiana
Economic Development to collectively commit to seeing an increase in the number of
women studying and working in STEM disciplines by crafting recruitment strategies
highlighting STEM positions as open and available to women.