HLS 20RS-1579 REENGROSSED
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 74
BY REPRESENTATIVES SCHEXNAYDER AND GAROF ALO
HEALTH: Requests that CARES Act funding be made available to the state for testing and
be distributed to healthcare systems
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the state of Louisiana through the Louisiana Department of Health, or
3 any other state agency as may be deemed appropriate, to provide funding from the
4 CARES Act, P.L.116-136, or any additional federal funding to Louisiana private
5 healthcare systems for COVID-19 testing and to report the proposed distribution to
6 the legislature by June 1, 2020.
7 WHEREAS, the United States Congress and the president of the United States are
8providing support to healthcare providers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic through
9CARES Act funding and the various programs the act created; and
10 WHEREAS, such funding will be used to support healthcare-related expenses or lost
11revenue in healthcare systems attributable to COVID-19; and
12 WHEREAS, recognizing the particular impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had
13on healthcare systems in Louisiana, the legislature is extremely concerned about the
14economic harm resulting from this impact; and
15 WHEREAS, increased access to COVID-19 testing and COVID-19 antibody testing
16is vital to protect the public health and safety of the Louisiana people; and
17 WHEREAS, funding provided through the CARES Act is intended to help health
18systems across America continue to battle COVID-19 and expand capacity for the vital
19functions of testing and containment.
20 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
21urge and request the state of Louisiana through the Louisiana Department of Health, or any
Page 1 of 2 HLS 20RS-1579 REENGROSSED
HCR NO. 74
1other state agency as may be deemed appropriate, to use funding provided to Louisiana by
2the CARES Act, P.L. 116-136, including but not limited to a portion of the approximately
3one billion eight hundred million dollars received through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, or
4any additional federal funding to support Louisiana's private sector healthcare systems as
5they seek to establish a robust COVID-19 testing infrastructure.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that on or before June 1, 2020, the Louisiana
7Department of Health, shall report the proposed distribution of funding called for in this
8Resolution to the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Finance,
9the House Committee on Health and Welfare, the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare,
10and the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library.
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
12governor and the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
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 74 Reengrossed 2020 Regular Session Schexnayder
Requests the La. Dept. of Health, or other appropriate agency as deemed necessary, to
provide funding from the CARES Act or any additional federal funding to La. private
healthcare systems for COVID-19 testing and report the data on the proposed distribution
of funding to the legislature.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the
original bill:
1. Expand requested funding to include any additional federal funding.
2. Change the request from expediting the distribution of funding to La. healthcare
systems to providing funding to La. private healthcare systems for COVID-19
testing.
3. Remove language terminating legislative authority for the request.
4. Make technical changes.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Remove the reference to contact tracing.
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