SLS 17RS-409 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 18
BY SENATOR HEWITT
LEGIS POWERS/FUNCTIONS. Commends the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities
Council and its grassroots advocacy network, LaCAN, and designates April 26, 2017, as
Disability Rights Day in Louisiana.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To commend the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council and its grassroots advocacy
3 network, LaCAN, and designate April 26, 2017, as "Disability Rights Day" in
4 Louisiana.
5 WHEREAS, disabilities are a natural part of life and do not diminish the right of
6 individuals with disabilities to exercise control over their lives and to fully participate in
7 their communities; and
8 WHEREAS, children, regardless of the severity of their particular disability, need
9 families and enduring relationships with adults in a nurturing home environment to develop
10 their full potential; and
11 WHEREAS, adults with developmental disabilities should be afforded the
12 opportunity to make decisions for themselves and to live in typical homes and communities
13 where they can exercise their full rights and responsibilities as citizens; and
14 WHEREAS, over fifteen thousand people in Louisiana are waiting for individual and
15 family supports and services that will allow them to live in their own home or with their
16 family rather than having to be segregated from their communities in a facility to receive
17 proper support; and
18 WHEREAS, the number of individuals with disabilities waiting for individual and
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SLS 17RS-409 ORIGINAL
1 family supports and services continues to increase annually as some programs for these
2 people have sustained budget cuts over the past several years; and
3 WHEREAS, a designation of Disability Rights Day would allow individuals with
4 disabilities and their families from across Louisiana to meet with their legislators at the
5 capitol and to educate them on the issues impacting people with disabilities; and
6 WHEREAS, such a designated day would also allow advocates to rally in support
7 of individual and family supports and services; and
8 WHEREAS, the focus of this day will be entirely on the disability rights issues,
9 which should bring this topic to the attention of the public at large, not just the elected
10 representatives of Louisiana, who can, in turn, inform their representatives of each voter's
11 position on this most important issue.
12 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
13 commend the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council and its grassroots advocacy
14 network, LaCAN, and designate April 26, 2017, as "Disability Rights Day" in Louisiana.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
16 Sandee Winchell, executive director of LaCAN.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Mary Dozier O'Brien.
DIGEST
SCR 18 Original 2017 Regular Session Hewitt
Commends the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council and LaCAN, and designates
April 26, 2017, as Disability Rights Day in Louisiana.
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