ENROLLED
2017 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 103
BY REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To urge and request the Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Programs of the School
of Public Health of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New
Orleans to lead a collaborative effort to improve cancer investigation and
intervention functions in this state, and to develop recommendations to the
legislature concerning effective and responsible practices for issuing local public
health notifications regarding cancer incidence.
WHEREAS, according to the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of
Health, the American Cancer Society, and the annual America's Health Rankings report,
Louisiana historically has had one of the highest cancer mortality rates in the nation, and this
trend continues to the present day; and
WHEREAS, effective cancer investigation programs use statistical modeling to
improve understanding of cancer incidence by geographic area and to evaluate cancer
control interventions within the focus areas of prevention, screening, and treatment; and
WHEREAS, cancer investigation programs can guide public health research, health
and environmental policy priorities, and development of optimal cancer control strategies;
however, Louisiana currently lacks both the funding and the administrative capacity to
operate an effective cancer investigation program on behalf of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, beyond instituting effective cancer investigation and control efforts,
Louisiana's public health system could better serve the people of this state by also
developing the capability to communicate effectively with parish and municipal
governments about localized threats to the public health relating to cancer incidence; and
WHEREAS, it is essential that any such public health notification system balance
delivery of credible information on real cancer-related dangers to local governments and
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citizens with the necessity of communicating this information in a manner that does not
cause undue alarm or fear in any community.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request the Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Programs of the School of
Public Health of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans to lead
a collaborative effort to accomplish all of the following:
(1) Improve cancer investigation and intervention functions in this state.
(2) Develop recommendations to the legislature concerning effective and responsible
practices for issuing local public health notifications regarding cancer incidence.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control
Programs shall engage stakeholders representing all of the following institutions and
organizations in the collaborative effort called for in this Resolution:
(1) The office of public health of the Louisiana Department of Health.
(2) The Louisiana Cancer Research Center.
(3) The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport.
(4) The Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
(5) The Southern University Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy.
(6) The Louisiana Cancer and Lung Trust Fund Board.
(7) The Louisiana Advisory Committee on Populations and Geographic Regions
With Excessive Cancer Rates.
(8) The Louisiana Chapter of the American Cancer Society.
(9) The Louisiana Environmental Action Network.
(10) The Louisiana Public Health Institute.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control
Programs shall develop a report of the results of the collaborative effort called for in this
Resolution, and shall submit the report to the House Committee on Health and Welfare and
the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare no later than thirty days prior to the convening
of the 2018 Regular Session of the Legislature.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
chief executive officer of the Louisiana Public Health Institute, the secretary of the Louisiana
Department of Health, the assistant secretary of the office of public health of the Louisiana
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Department of Health, the chief administrative officer of the Louisiana Cancer Research
Center, the chancellor of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at New
Orleans, the chancellor of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at
Shreveport, the dean of the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical
Medicine, the dean of the Southern University Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy, the
chairperson of the Louisiana Cancer and Lung Trust Fund Board, the chairperson of the
Louisiana Advisory Committee on Populations and Geographic Regions With Excessive
Cancer Rates, the director of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Cancer Society, and the
executive director of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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