SLS 171ES-97 ORIGINAL
2017 First Extraordinary Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 10
BY SENATOR MILLS
HEALTH/HOSPITALS DEPT. Requests the health profession licensing boards to work
with the commissioner of administration to identify funds from their cash and cash
equivalent year-end balances that can be transferred into the state general fund.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To urge and request the health profession licensing boards statutorily placed within the
3 Louisiana Department of Health to work with the commissioner of administration
4 to identify funds from their cash and cash equivalent year-end balances that can be
5 transferred into the state general fund.
6 WHEREAS, there are twenty-five health profession licensing boards statutorily
7 placed within the Louisiana Department of Health; and
8 WHEREAS, these boards have been created by the legislature to ensure the health,
9 welfare, and safety of the patients that utilize the services of the individuals licensed by the
10 boards; and
11 WHEREAS, the licensing boards have been given authority to impose fees to cover
12 the cost of ensuring that qualified individuals are licensed to practice in their respective
13 health related fields; and
14 WHEREAS, the licensing boards have been given authority to impose fines and
15 monetary sanctions as a penalty in disciplinary actions against licensed individuals; and
16 WHEREAS, based on information requested from the office of the Louisiana
17 legislative auditor, it appears that many of the licensing boards are operating with substantial
18 cash and cash equivalent fund balances, amassing considerable reserves in their individual
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1 board bank accounts; and
2 WHEREAS, the monies collected by the licensing boards are not deposited into the
3 state treasury; and
4 WHEREAS, although maintained as separate bank accounts, there is nothing to
5 prevent the licensing boards from depositing funds into the state treasury; and
6 WHEREAS, during a financial crisis everyone should step up and willingly do their
7 part to help, and as a statutorily created entity placed within a state government agency, the
8 twenty-five health profession licensing boards should be no different; and
9 WHEREAS, the commissioner of administration should work with the twenty-five
10 health profession licensing boards to identify fund balances that may be deposited into the
11 state treasury.
12 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
13 does hereby urge and request the health profession licensing boards statutorily placed within
14 the Louisiana Department of Health to work with the commissioner of administration to
15 identify funds from their cash and cash equivalent year-end balances that can be transferred
16 into the state general fund.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commissioner shall develop a template for
18 the collection of data from the licensing boards to ensure consistency in reporting of
19 collected data, including a five year fiscal worksheet that provides:
20 (1) Expenses.
21 (2) Income from fees.
22 (3) Revenue from income, including revenue from licenses, permits and fines
23 identified separately.
24 (4) Amount generated from fines and penalties.
25 (5) All board liabilities.
26 (6) All restricted funds and explanation of specific restrictions.
27 (7) Where all funds reside, including all banks or financial institutions if there is
28 more than one.
29 (8) Any other information the commissioner deems relevant.
30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commissioner shall distribute the template
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1 as expeditiously as possible and the licensing boards shall provide the requested information
2 in conformance with the template on a date set by the commissioner, which shall be no later
3 than May 1, 2017.
4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commissioner shall develop a plan and make
5 recommendations on the mechanism and amounts of a fund transfer from the licensing
6 boards to the state treasury and shall submit such plan to the Senate Committee on Finance
7 and the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare no later than May 15, 2017.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
9 secretary of the Department of Health, the commissioner of administration, the executive
10 directors of the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, Louisiana State Board of Dentistry,
11 Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners, Louisiana State Board of Optometry
12 Examiners, Louisiana State Board of Examiners for Sanitarians, Louisiana State Board of
13 Practical Nurse Examiners, Louisiana Board of Chiropractic Examiners, Louisiana State
14 Board of Medical Examiners, Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors,
15 Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, Louisiana Board of Examiners for
16 Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine,
17 Louisiana Board of Examiners for Nursing Facility Administrators, Louisiana Board of
18 Pharmacy, Louisiana Board for Hearing Aid Dealers, Louisiana Radiologic Technology
19 Board of Examiners, Louisiana Physical Therapy Board, Louisiana Licensed Professional
20 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Board of Examiners, Louisiana Addictive Disorder
21 Regulatory Authority, Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board, Louisiana Board of Drug and
22 Device Distributors, Louisiana Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition, Louisiana
23 Board of Massage Therapy, Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of
24 Examiners and the Louisiana State Board of Electrolysis Examiners.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Christine Arbo Peck.
DIGEST
SR 10 Original 2017 First Extraordinary Session Mills
Requests the health profession licensing boards statutorily placed within the Louisiana
Department of Health to work with the commissioner of administration to identify funds
from their cash and cash equivalent year-end balances that can be transferred into the state
general fund.
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