HLS 16RS-1469 ORIGINAL 2016 Regular Session HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 47 BY REPRESENTATIVE POPE SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Commends the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council and its grassroots advocacy network, LaCAN, and designates Tuesday, April 5, 2016, as Disability Rights Day in Louisiana 1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION 2To commend the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council and its grassroots advocacy 3 network, LaCAN, for their advocacy efforts on behalf of individuals with disabilities 4 and to designate Tuesday, April 5, 2016, as Disability Rights Day in Louisiana. 5 WHEREAS, a disability is a natural part of life and does not diminish the right of 6individuals with disabilities to exercise control over their lives and fully participate in their 7communities; and 8 WHEREAS, children, regardless of the nature or severity of their disabilities, need 9families and enduring relationships with adults in a nurturing home environment to develop 10to their fullest potential; and 11 WHEREAS, adults with developmental disabilities should be afforded the 12opportunity to make decisions for themselves and to live in typical homes and communities 13where they can exercise their full rights and responsibilities as citizens; and 14 WHEREAS, almost thirteen thousand eight hundred people are waiting for individual 15and family support and services that will allow them to live independently in their own 16homes or with their families rather than being segregated from their communities in 17facilities; and 18 WHEREAS, the number of individuals with disabilities waiting for individual and 19family support and services continues to increase annually; and Page 1 of 2 HLS 16RS-1469 ORIGINAL HCR NO. 47 1 WHEREAS, many programs designed to assist individuals with disabilities are 2threatened with funding cuts or elimination; and 3 WHEREAS, LaCAN is a statewide, grassroots network of individuals, families, and 4other stakeholders advocating for individual and family support and services for Louisiana's 5citizens who are developmentally disabled; and 6 WHEREAS, Disability Rights Day in Louisiana allows individuals with disabilities 7and families from across Louisiana to meet their legislators at the state capitol and educate 8them on the issues impacting people with disabilities, as well as to rally in support of 9individual and family support and services. 10 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 11commend the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council and its grassroots advocacy 12network, LaCAN, for their advocacy efforts on behalf of individuals with disabilities, and 13does hereby designate Tuesday, April 5, 2016, as Disability Rights Day in Louisiana. 14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted 15to the executive director of the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council. 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 47 Original 2016 Regular Session Pope Commends the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council and its grassroots advocacy network, LaCAN, for their advocacy efforts on behalf of individuals with disabilities and designates Tues., April 5, 2016, as Disability Rights Day in Louisiana. Page 2 of 2