HLS 20RS-1578 REENGROSSED
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 73
BY REPRESENTATIVES SCHEXNAYDER, ADAMS, AMEDEE, BEAULLIEU,
BRYANT, BUTLER, CARRIER, COUSSAN, COX, CREWS, DESHOTEL,
DUBUISSON, ECHOLS, EDMONDS, FARNUM, FIRMENT, FONTENOT,
FREIBERG, FRIEMAN, GADBERRY, GAROFALO, GOUDEAU, GREEN,
HARRIS, HORTON, ILLG, KERNER, LARVADAIN, MCCORMICK,
MCFARLAND, MIGUEZ, GREGORY MILLER, MINCEY, NELSON, CHARLES
OWEN, ROBERT OWEN, PRESSLY, RISER, ROMERO, SCHAMERHORN,
SEABAUGH, THOMAS, THOMPSON, W HEAT, AND WRIGHT
HEALTH: Requests an update from the Louisiana Department of Health and the division
of administration on efforts to establish an application or system to track the
incidence and spread of COVID-19
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health and the division of administration
3 to provide an immediate update to the Legislature of Louisiana on efforts to establish
4 an application or system to track the incidence and spread of COVID-19 and to urge
5 the governor to amend his Proclamation Number 58-JBE-2020 to conform with the
6 White House Guidelines for Opening Up America Again.
7 WHEREAS, since the first presumptive case relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in
8Louisiana was announced on March 9, 2020, cases have been confirmed in all sixty-four
9parishes of the state, and Governor John Bel Edwards has issued multiple proclamations and
10orders aimed at preventing and reducing the spread of the virus; and
11 WHEREAS, the impact of the coronavirus in Louisiana is widespread and ongoing,
12with both immediate and potentially long-term risk to the life, health, and well-being of
13Louisiana residents, as well as the severely detrimental impact on Louisiana's economy; and
14 WHEREAS, each day more and more businesses are reported closing their doors for
15good due to their inability to operate during the COVID-19 shut-down; and
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HCR NO. 73
1 WHEREAS, the Governor of Louisiana has proclaimed that Louisiana can move
2safely into Phase 1 as outlined by the White House guidelines for Opening Up America
3Again; and
4 WHEREAS, a business cannot function without its employees, and the legislature
5trusts Louisiana business owners to comply with strict social distancing guidelines to keep
6their employees and customers safe; and
7 WHEREAS, throughout this time, the Louisiana Department of Health has tracked
8and updated on a daily basis the number of confirmed cases in the state, as well as the
9number of COVID-19-related deaths and the number of tests performed and completed; and
10 WHEREAS, with the governor's most recent stay-at-home order set to expire on May
1115, 2020, and as work continues on Louisiana's economic recovery and the recovery of the
12health, safety, and well-being of Louisiana's residents, it is necessary to ensure that
13Louisiana is acting quickly to establish systems and processes to immediately identify and
14contain future spread of COVID-19.
15 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
16urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health and the division of administration to
17provide an immediate update to the Legislature of Louisiana on efforts to establish an
18application or system to track the incidence and spread of COVID-19.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge
20and request that the governor revise Subsection (G) of Section 2 of his Phase 1 Order,
21Proclamation Number 58-JBE-2020, to mirror the White House Guidelines for Opening Up
22America Again that require businesses to operate under strict physical distancing protocols,
23rather than setting an arbitrary occupancy percentage limit.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the request encompassed by this Resolution shall
25not be construed as approval, endorsement, or promotion by the legislature of the practice
26of contact tracing, as administered by the Louisiana Department of Health, as a response to
27the COVID-19 public health emergency.
28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
29to the Louisiana Department of Health, the division of administration, and the governor.
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HCR NO. 73
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)]
HCR 73 Reengrossed 2020 Regular Session Schexnayder
Urges and requests the La. Dept. of Health (LDH) and the division of administration to
provide an immediate update to the legislature on efforts to establish an application or
system to track the incidence and spread of COVID-19.
Urges and requests the governor to revise his Phase 1 Order, Proclamation No. 58-JBE-2020,
to mirror the White House Guidelines for Opening Up America Again that require
businesses to operate under strict physical distancing protocols, rather than setting an
arbitrary occupancy percentage limit.
Stipulate that the request encompassed by this Resolution shall not be construed as approval,
endorsement, or promotion by the legislature of the practice of contact tracing, as
administered by LDH, as a response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Add a directive urging the governor to amend Proclamation No. 58-JBE-2020 to
conform with the White House Guidelines for Opening Up America Again.
2. Add findings related to business closures and to White House guidelines for
reopening of businesses.
3. Stipulate that the request encompassed by the Resolution shall not be construed
as approval, endorsement, or promotion by the legislature of the practice of
contact tracing, as administered by the La. Department of Health, as a response
to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
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