HLS 20RS-1614 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 79
BY REPRESENTATIVE BISHOP
TAX CREDITS: Urges and requests that any proclamation convening in an extraordinary
session of the legislature in 2020 include changes to eligibility to participate in the
Enterprise Zone incentive
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request that changes to the eligibility requirements for participation in the
3 Enterprise Zone incentive to extend eligibility to restaurants and hotels be included
4 in the any proclamation convening an extraordinary session of legislature in 2020.
5 WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, Governor John Bel Edwards invoked his authority
6under the Louisiana Health Emergency Powers Act, R.S.29:760, et seq., to issue Emergency
7Proclamation Number 25 JBE 2020, which declared a statewide public health emergency as
8a result of the imminent threat posed to Louisiana citizens by the outbreak of a respiratory
9disease caused by the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19; and
10 WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the governor issued Emergency Proclamation
11Number 27 JBE 2020, which supplemented the measures taken in Emergency Proclamation
12Number 25 JBE 2020 with additional restrictions to further protect the health and safety of
13the public and expressly provided for "'emergency-related claims'. . . for unemployment
14compensation filed by persons whose unemployment is directly due to the impact of
15COVID-19 or due to their inability to get their job or worksite because they are sick, isolated
16or quarantined, caring for a sick family member, or when an employee's child's school is
17closed as determined by the administrator of the state's unemployment compensation
18program"; and
19 WHEREAS, on March 22, 2020, the governor issued Emergency Proclamation
20Number 33 JBE 2020 which implemented a general stay-at-home order to the public and
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HCR NO. 79
1additional measures including the temporary closure of certain businesses, further limiting
2the operations of certain non-essential businesses to the public in an effort to mitigate the
3impact of COVID-19 and to disrupt the spread of the virus; and
4 WHEREAS, these businesses have experienced serious hardship and financial
5disruption due to COVID-19 impacts on their operations and workforces; and
6 WHEREAS, the ability of these businesses to expeditiously return to their previous
7levels of operation is critical to Louisiana's economy, as well as state and local government
8revenues; and
9 WHEREAS, the Enterprise Zone incentive is designed to encourage and promote
10private sector investment and local economic development efforts in depressed areas of the
11state by establishing tax rebates and tax credits for businesses that are located in areas that
12meet enterprise zone criteria including high unemployment rates, lower per capita income,
13and a resident population that receives public assistance; and
14 WHEREAS, in 2015, state law was amended to limit eligibility for certain retail
15businesses to participate in these incentives to grocery stores and pharmacies that have more
16than one hundred employees nationwide; and
17 WHEREAS, the legislature should consider legislation, during any extraordinary
18session that may be called in 2020, to amend the eligibility criteria for participation in the
19Enterprise Zone incentive to include restaurants and hotels which have suffered great
20economic losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
21 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
22urge and request that changes to the eligibility requirements for participation in the
23Enterprise Zone incentive to extend eligibility to restaurants and hotels be included in the
24any proclamation convening an extraordinary session of legislature in 2020.
25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
26governor of the state of Louisiana, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
27president of the Senate.
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HCR NO. 79
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 79 Original 2020 Regular Session Bishop
Urges and requests that changes to the eligibility requirements for participation in the
Enterprise Zone incentive extend to restaurant and hotels be included in the any
proclamation convening an Extraordinary Session of Legislature in 2020.
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