HLS 21RS-783 REENGROSSED
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 193
BY REPRESENTATIVE MARCELLE
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
HEALTH/LDH: Creates the office on women's health within the La. Department of Health
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 36:251(C)(1) and to enact R.S. 36:258(M), relative to the
3 organization of the Louisiana Department of Health; to create within the department
4 an office on women's health; to provide for the purposes and functions of the office;
5 and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 36:251(C)(1) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 36:258(M)
8is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §251. Louisiana Department of Health; creation; domicile; composition; purpose
10 and functions
11 * * *
12 C.(1) The Louisiana Department of Health shall be composed of the
13 executive office of the secretary, the office of management and finance, the office
14 of public health, the office of behavioral health, the office for citizens with
15 developmental disabilities, the office of aging and adult services, the office on
16 women's health, and such other offices as shall be created by law.
17 * * *
18 §258. Offices; purposes and functions
19 * * *
Page 1 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 21RS-783 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 193
1 M.(1) The office on women's health shall be responsible for leading,
2 consolidating, and coordinating efforts across the state that are intended to improve
3 women's health outcomes through policy, education, evidence-based practices,
4 programs, and services.
5 (2) The office on women's health shall perform all of the following
6 functions:
7 (a) Educate and advocate for women's health, either on its own or in
8 partnership with other entities, by establishing appropriate forums, programs, or
9 initiatives designed to educate the public regarding women's health, with an
10 emphasis on preventive health and healthy lifestyles.
11 (b) Identify, coordinate, and establish priorities for programs, services, and
12 resources for women's health issues and concerns.
13 (c) Serve as a clearinghouse and resource regarding women's health data,
14 strategies, services, and programs that address women's health issues.
15 (d)(i) Collect, classify, and analyze relevant information and data resulting
16 from research conducted or compiled by the Louisiana Department of Health and any
17 collaborative entities.
18 (ii) Provide persons with information regarding the results of the research
19 described in Item (i) of this Subparagraph, except as prohibited by law.
20 (e) Develop and recommend funding and program activities for educating
21 the public on women's health initiatives relating to the social determinants of health
22 including, without limitation, all of the following:
23 (i) Health needs throughout a woman's life.
24 (ii) Diseases that significantly affect women, including heart disease, cancer,
25 and osteoporosis.
26 (iii) Access to health care for women.
27 (iv) Poverty and women's health.
28 (v) The leading causes of morbidity and mortality for women.
29 (vi) Health disparities of women.
Page 2 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 21RS-783 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 193
1 (f) Make recommendations to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of
2 Health concerning programs that address women's health issues for inclusion in the
3 department's budget and strategic planning.
4 (g) Seek funding from private or other governmental entities to carry out the
5 purposes provided in this Subsection.
6 (h) Prepare for publication and dissemination to the public materials
7 regarding women's health.
8 (i) Conduct public educational forums in Louisiana to raise public awareness
9 and to educate citizens about women's health programs, issues, and services.
10 (j) Coordinate the activities and programs of the office with other entities
11 that focus on women's health or women's issues.
12 (k) Provide an annual report to the governor, the legislature, and the
13 secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health concerning the priorities and
14 services needed for women's health in this state and areas for improvement.
15 Section 2. The Louisiana Department of Health shall develop a proposed operating
16budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023. The proposed budget shall include salaries and benefits
17for employees of the office. The employees shall be comprised of, at a minimum, an
18assistant secretary, executive assistant to the assistant secretary, and an employee
19specializing in research and grant applications. Funding for the office shall be included in
20the executive budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023.
21 Section 3.(A) The provisions of this Section and Section 2 of this Act shall become
22effective upon signature by the governor or, if not signed by the governor, upon expiration
23of the time for bills to become law without signature by the governor, as provided by Article
24III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If vetoed by the governor and subsequently
25approved by the legislature, the provisions of this Section and Section 2 of this Act shall
26become effective on the day following such approval.
27 (B) The provisions of Section 1 of this Act shall become effective on July 1, 2022.
Page 3 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 21RS-783 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 193
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)]
HB 193 Reengrossed 2021 Regular Session Marcelle
Abstract: Creates the office on women's health within the La. Department of Health and
provides for the functions of the office.
Present law provides that the La. Department of Health (LDH) shall be composed of the
following offices:
(1)The executive office of the secretary.
(2)The office of management and finance.
(3)The office of public health.
(4)The office of behavioral health.
(5)The office for citizens with developmental disabilities.
(6)The office of aging and adult services.
(7)Such other offices as shall be created by law.
Proposed law creates within LDH the office on women's health. Provides that the office
shall be responsible for leading, consolidating, and coordinating efforts across the state that
are intended to improve women's health outcomes through policy, education, evidence-based
practices, programs, and services.
Proposed law provides that the office on women's health shall perform all of the following
functions:
(1)Educate and advocate for women's health, either on its own or in partnership with
other entities, by establishing appropriate forums, programs, or initiatives designed
to educate the public regarding women's health, with an emphasis on preventive
health and healthy lifestyles.
(2)Identify, coordinate, and establish priorities for programs, services, and resources for
women's health issues and concerns.
(3)Serve as a clearinghouse and resource regarding women's health data, strategies,
services, and programs that address women's health issues.
(4)Collect, classify, and analyze relevant information and data resulting from research
conducted or compiled by LDH and any collaborative entities; provide information
to the public regarding the results of such research except as prohibited by law.
(5)Develop and recommend funding and program activities for educating the public on
women's health initiatives relating to social determinants of health.
(6)Make recommendations to the secretary of LDH concerning programs that address
women's health issues for inclusion in the department's budget and strategic
planning.
Page 4 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 21RS-783 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 193
(7)Seek funding from private or other governmental entities to carry out the purposes
provided in proposed law.
(8)Prepare for publication and dissemination to the public materials regarding women's
health.
(9)Conduct public educational forums in La. to raise public awareness and to educate
citizens about women's health programs, issues, and services.
(10)Coordinate the activities and programs of the office with other entities that focus on
women's health or women's issues.
(11)Provide an annual report to the governor, the legislature, and the secretary of LDH
concerning the priorities and services needed for women's health in this state and
areas for improvement.
Present law provides that each office within LDH, except the office of management and
finance, shall be under the immediate supervision and direction of an assistant secretary,
who shall be appointed by the governor with consent of the Senate. Requires that, except
as otherwise provided in present law, each assistant secretary shall employ, appoint, remove,
assign, and promote such personnel as is necessary for the efficient administration of their
office and its programs in accordance with applicable civil service laws, rules, and
regulations, and with policies and rules of LDH, all subject to budgetary control and
applicable laws. Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law requires LDH to develop a proposed operating budget for FY 2022-2023
which shall include salaries and benefits for an assistant secretary, executive assistant to the
assistant secretary, and an employee specializing in research and grant applications.
Proposed law further requires funding for the office to be included in the executive budget
for FY 2022-2023.
Provisions of proposed law relative to the creation of the office of women's health become
effective June 30, 2022. All other provisions of proposed law become effective upon
signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 36:251(C)(1); Adds R.S. 36:258(M))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to
the original bill:
1. Prohibit the office on women's health created by proposed law from doing any
of the following:
a. Utilizing any personnel or funding to promote abortion.
b. Coordinating with any entity that promotes abortion.
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the
engrossed bill:
1. Remove the prohibition on the office of women's health utilizing any personnel
or funding to promote abortion or coordinating with any entity that promotes
abortion.
Page 5 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 21RS-783 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 193
2. Require LDH to develop a proposed operating budget for the office and require
funding for the office to be included in the executive budget for FY 2022-2023.
3. Change the effective date for the creation of the office to July 1, 2022.
Page 6 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.