Louisiana 2020 2020 2nd Special Session

Louisiana House Bill HR17 Introduced / Bill

                    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.
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