HLS 15RS-4115 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 215
BY REPRESENTATIVE HUNTER
FUNDS/FUNDING: Expresses the sense of the legislature concerning federal funding and
programs
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To express the sense of the legislature concerning utilization of federal funds and operation
3 of federal programs for the good of the public.
4 WHEREAS, federal funding and programs provide a wide array of services to the
5people of this state; and
6 WHEREAS, transportation, education, health care, nutrition assistance, disaster
7recovery, environmental protection, and the infrastructure that supports commerce and
8economic vitality are all examples of programs, services, and investments in our state that
9receive major support from federal funds; and
10 WHEREAS, over thirty nine and one-half percent of all revenue included in
11Louisiana's 2015-2016 executive budget is comprised of federal funding; and
12 WHEREAS, as it has been historically, among several revenue sources, federal
13funding comprises the largest share of revenue in the executive budget of this state for the
14coming year, as its thirty nine and one-half percent share is greater than that of each of the
15eight other types of revenue included in the state budget; and
16 WHEREAS, regardless of differences in political philosophy, legislators and
17statewide elected officials in the executive branch share responsibility for directing the
18expenditure of public resources derived from taxes and other sources for the purposes of
19providing public services and achieving the public good; and
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HCR NO. 215
1 WHEREAS, each legislator and executive branch official has this duty concerning
2state fiscal matters irrespective of whether he believes that the amount of taxpayer dollars
3to be expended by state government is too high, too low, or at the optimal level; and
4 WHEREAS, it is fiscally irresponsible for any single public official to turn away
5significant amounts of federal funding for programs or services which would clearly and
6indisputably serve a vital public interest by improving access to health care in this state,
7especially when doing so may be a contributing factor in a public university of this state
8having to file for financial exigency; and
9 WHEREAS, it is all the more irresponsible for any single public official to turn away
10significant amounts of federal funding for a specific program which a reliable nonpartisan
11fiscal analysis shows will produce significant state general fund savings resulting from
12acceptance of such federal funding for the program.
13 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
14express its sense that a public official who unilaterally exercises the powers of his office in
15order to reject federal funding that, as indicated by the Legislative Fiscal Office, would have
16resulted in state general fund savings of over one hundred million dollars in any fiscal year
17has abused the powers of his office.
18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby further
19express its sense that should the governor of this state abuse the powers of his office through
20rejection of federal funding under financially exigent circumstances as described above, then
21the lieutenant governor shall have the authority to accept such previously rejected funding
22on behalf of this state.
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if the authority to accept federal funding as
24provided in this Resolution devolves to the lieutenant governor and the lieutenant governor
25rejects or refuses to act to accept such funding, then the authority to accept such funding
26shall devolve to the legislature, which may act to accept such funding in accordance with
27applicable provisions of law and rules of legislative procedure.
28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
29governor, the lieutenant governor, and the commissioner of administration.
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HCR NO. 215
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 215 Original 2015 Regular Session Hunter
Expresses the sense of the legislature that a public official who unilaterally rejects federal
funding that would have resulted in state general fund savings of over $100,000,000 in any
fiscal year has abused the powers of his office.
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