HLS 202ES-426 ORIGINAL 2020 Second Extraordinary Session HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 17 BY REPRESENTATIVE ECHOLS FEES/LICENSES/PERMITS: Requests the commissioner of alcohol and tobacco control and the La. Dept. of Health to grant no-cost extensions of bar and restaurant permits 1 A RESOLUTION 2To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health and the office of alcohol and 3 tobacco control in the Department of Revenue to grant each bar and restaurant owner 4 a permit extension, at no cost to the owner, for a period equal in duration to the total 5 time that the declared state of public health emergency for COVID-19 is in effect. 6 WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, Governor John Bel Edwards issued Proclamation 7Number 25 JBE 2020 to declare a statewide public health emergency due to the imminent 8threat posed to Louisiana by COVID-19; and 9 WHEREAS, R.S. 40:4(A)(1)(c)(i) provides that, in order to protect the public health, 10the state health officer of the Louisiana Department of Health shall promulgate rules and 11regulations relative to retail food establishments; and 12 WHEREAS, these rules and regulations comprise a segment of the state sanitary 13code, LAC 51:XXIII.101 et seq., and provide that such food establishments include 14restaurants, cafeterias, caterers, delicatessens, bars, lounges, and any other facilities that 15prepare food for individual service or for a group of people; the rules and regulations also 16require certain permits for such establishments; and 17 WHEREAS, R.S. 40:31.37 requires the Louisiana Department of Health to charge 18a fee for each permit issued to a food establishment in accordance with the state sanitary 19code; and Page 1 of 2 HLS 202ES-426 ORIGINAL HR NO. 17 1 WHEREAS, R.S. 26:71 provides that, before engaging in the business of 2manufacturing, supplying, or dealing in alcoholic beverages, all persons shall obtain from 3the commissioner of alcohol and tobacco control a permit to conduct each separate business 4and shall pay the commissioner a fee not to exceed the amounts provided by law; and 5 WHEREAS, R.S. 26:792 authorizes the commissioner of alcohol and tobacco control 6to issue and renew permits required by law for persons engaging in the business of dealing 7in beverages of high and low alcoholic content, provided that no wholesale permit shall be 8issued or renewed without the applicant's first furnishing evidence to the commissioner that 9the bond required under R.S. 26:348 has been secured. 10 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the 11Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health 12and the office of alcohol and tobacco control in the Department of Revenue to grant each bar 13and restaurant owner a permit extension, at no cost to the owner, for their establishment for 14a period equal in duration to the total time that the declared state of public health emergency 15for COVID-19 is in effect. 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)] HR 17 Original 2020 Second Extraordinary Session Echols Requests the La. Dept. of Health and the office of alcohol and tobacco control in the Dept. of Revenue to grant each bar and restaurant owner a permit extension, at no cost to the owner, for a period equal in duration to the total time that the declared state of public health emergency for COVID-19 is in effect. Page 2 of 2