HLS 15RS-1828 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 205
BY REPRESENTATIVE WOODRUFF
CONSUMERS/FOOD-BEVERAGES: Creates a task force to study and identify food
deserts within the state
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To create a task force to study and identify food deserts in communities where people travel
3 an unreasonable distance to buy fresh produce and proteins as a result of grocery
4 stores and affordable fresh food disappearing from their communities.
5 WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a food
6desert as any census district that has a poverty rate of at least 20 percent (or the median
7family income is less than 80 percent of the statewide average) and at least five hundred
8people or 33 percent of the population lives over one mile, in urban areas, or ten miles, in
9rural areas, from the nearest grocery store or supermarket; and
10 WHEREAS, approximately one million people in Louisiana live in a food desert, in
11both rural and urban areas; and
12 WHEREAS, food deserts are one of the main contributing factors to the obesity
13epidemic in the United States, by forcing struggling families to rely on processed and fast
14food instead of fresh vegetables, fruit, and proteins; and
15 WHEREAS, the adult obesity rate for African-Americans in Louisiana is 41.9
16percent, for Latino Americans is 32.6 percent, and for White Americans is 30.4 percent; and
17 WHEREAS, African-American children are more likely to become obese than White
18children according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and
19 WHEREAS, food deserts frequently exist due to economic stagnation and
20disinvestment; and
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HCR NO. 205
1 WHEREAS, food deserts have a direct correlation with the relatively high percentage
2of obesity, diabetes, and overweight citizens in these metropolitan areas of Louisiana; and
3 WHEREAS, the percentage of overweight adults in the metropolitan areas of
4Louisiana are 42.7 percent for Alexandria, 31.5 percent for Baton Rouge, 34.6 percent for
5Hammond, 32.7 percent for Houma-Thibodaux, 34 percent for Lafayette, 31.3 percent for
6Lake Charles, 35.7 percent for Monroe, 33.6 percent for New Orleans, and 39.3 percent for
7Shreveport-Bossier City; and
8 WHEREAS, adult obesity rates in the metropolitan areas of Louisiana are 27.1
9percent for Alexandria, 34.8 percent for Baton Rouge, 45.4 percent for Hammond, 42.6
10percent for Houma-Thibodaux, 30.9 percent for Lafayette, 34.1 percent for Lake Charles,
1129.8 percent for Monroe, 30.2 percent for New Orleans, and 33.6 percent for Shreveport-
12Bossier City; and
13 WHEREAS, diabetes rates in the metropolitan areas of Louisiana are 12.4 percent
14for Alexandria, 11.9 percent for Baton Rouge, 7.9 percent for Hammond, 11.5 percent for
15Houma-Thibodaux, 9.6 percent for Lafayette, 8.8 percent for Lake Charles, 15.9 percent for
16Monroe, 11.9 percent for New Orleans, and 10.9 percent for Shreveport-Bossier City.
17 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
18create a task force to identify and study the impact of food deserts in communities where
19people travel an unreasonable distance to buy fresh produce and proteins as a result of
20grocery stores and affordable fresh food disappearing from their communities.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be composed of the
22following members:
23 (1) Two representatives of the Department of Health and Hospitals, designated by
24the secretary of the department.
25 (2) Two representatives of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, designated
26by the executive director of the center.
27 (3) Two representatives of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
28New Orleans, School of Public Health, designated by the chancellor of the university.
29 (4) Two representatives of the Tulane University School of Public Health and
30Tropical Medicine, designated by the chancellor of the university.
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HCR NO. 205
1 (5) Two representatives of the Southern University and A&M College Agricultural
2Research and Extension Center, designated by the chancellor of the university.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall submit their findings to the
4House and Senate committees on health and welfare and the Department of Health and
5Hospitals no later than June 30, 2016.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this task force will be staffed by the House
7Committee on Health and Welfare for all meetings of the task force.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana calls for access to
9healthy, fresh, and affordable food in these rural and urban areas to improve overall health
10by combating obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other health-related problems that
11can be aided by a healthy diet.
12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution reaffirms the Louisiana
13Legislature's commitment to wellness policies, relative to mind, body and spirit, that
14incentivize and encourage the establishment of supermarkets and farmers' markets, as well
15as affordable, fresh, and healthy food options in local stores and restaurants within
16communities lacking access.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana supports policy
18solutions encouraging grocers and other store owners to sell healthy food options in under
19served communities, including food trusts and programs to help small stores carry fresh food
20for purchase.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana urges the United
22States Department of Agriculture, congress, state legislators, local officials, agencies, and
23nonprofits to work together for the elimination of food deserts in the communities where
24people travel an unreasonable distance to buy fresh produce and proteins as a result of
25grocery stores and affordable fresh food disappearing from their communities.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana applauds and
27supports the expanded use of electronic benefits cards at farmers' markets and urges local
28growers to allow the use of electronic benefits cards whenever possible.
29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana applauds the
30actions already taken and urges congress to increase allocations to the Healthy Food
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HCR NO. 205
1Financing Initiative, a collaborative effort of the United States Department of Agriculture,
2the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and the United States
3Department of the Treasury which brings grocery stores and other healthy food retailers to
4underserved urban and rural communities across America.
5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
6governor of Louisiana, the president of the Louisiana State Senate, the speaker of the
7Louisiana House of Representatives, and other state government officials as appropriate.
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)]
HCR 205 Original 2015 Regular Session Woodruff
Creates a task force to study and identify food deserts in the communities where people
travel an unreasonable distance to buy fresh produce and proteins as a result of grocery
stores and affordable fresh food disappearing from their communities, and provide the House
and Senate Committees on Health and Welfare and the Department of Health and Hospitals
with a report detailing where the food deserts are located and make recommendations to
resolve the food desert issue in those communities.
Provides that the committee shall submit a final report by June 30, 2016.
Provides that the task force will be staffed by the House Committee on Health and Welfare.
Provides that the task force be composed of the following members:
(1) Two representatives of the Department of Health and Hospitals, designated by the
secretary of the department.
(2) Two representatives of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, designated by
the executive director of the center.
(3) Two representatives of the La. State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans
School of Public Health, designated by the chancellor of the university.
(4) Two representatives of the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical
Medicine, designated by the chancellor of the university.
(5) Two representatives of the Southern University and A&M College Agricultural
Research and Extension Center, designated by the chancellor of the university.
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