SLS 20RS-2452 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 76
BY SENATOR BARROW
HEALTH SERVICES. Urges and requests the Louisiana Department of Health to collect
data regarding the age, race, and gender of Louisiana residents who are impacted by the
COVID-19 pandemic or any future public health emergency.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to collect data regarding the age,
3 race, and gender of Louisiana residents who are impacted by the COVID-19
4 pandemic or any future public health emergency.
5 WHEREAS, a novel coronavirus named "coronavirus disease 2019", commonly
6 referred to as COVID-19, was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province China, in
7 December of 2019; and
8 WHEREAS, COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that has a broad range of symptoms
9 from mild, flu-like symptoms to severe breathing difficulties that result in death; and
10 WHEREAS, the first confirmed instance of person-to-person spread of the virus in
11 the United States was recorded on January 30, 2020; and
12 WHEREAS, on the same day the World Health Organization declared the outbreak
13 "a public health emergency of international concern"; and
14 WHEREAS, the rapid spread of COVID-19 lead the World Health Organization to
15 upgrade its declaration to a "global pandemic" on March 11, 2020; and
16 WHEREAS, since the first presumptive case relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in
17 Louisiana was announced on March 9, 2020, cases have been confirmed in all sixty-four
18 parishes of the state, and Governor John Bel Edwards has issued multiple proclamations and
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SLS 20RS-2452 ORIGINAL
1 orders aimed at preventing and reducing the spread of the virus; and
2 WHEREAS, the impact of the coronavirus in Louisiana is widespread and ongoing,
3 with both immediate and potentially long-term risk to the life, health, and well-being of all
4 Louisiana residents; and
5 WHEREAS, throughout this time, the Louisiana Department of Health has tracked
6 and updated on a daily basis the number of confirmed cases in the state, as well as the
7 number of COVID-19-related deaths, and the number of tests performed and completed; and
8 WHEREAS, state leaders require adequate data to determine if the impact of a public
9 health emergency has not fallen equitably among Louisianians but has created a
10 disproportionate burden among certain populations.
11 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
12 does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to collect data from
13 reporting health care providers or other persons regarding the age, race, and gender of
14 Louisiana residents who are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic or any future public
15 health emergency.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall notify all Louisiana-
17 licensed health care providers to submit demographic data to include race, age, and gender
18 to the department for all of their patients who are Louisiana residents and test positive for
19 COVID-19 in accordance with the provisions of this Resolution.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that health care providers are urged to be responsive
21 to the department and submit the requested demographic data including race, age, and
22 gender to the department for all of their patients who are Louisiana residents and test
23 positive for COVID-19.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, upon collecting a complete data set, the
25 department shall establish and maintain on its internet website a link to this data that is easily
26 accessible by the public.
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
28 secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
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SLS 20RS-2452 ORIGINAL
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Brandi Cannon.
DIGEST
SR 76 Original 2020 Regular Session Barrow
Requests the La. Dept. of Health to collect data regarding the age, race, and gender of
Louisiana residents who are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic or any future public
health emergency.
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