HLS 21RS-778 ENGROSSED
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 45
BY REPRESENTATIVE BAGLEY
EXCEPTIONAL PERSONS: Requests a study concerning a potential system for tracking
the location of children with developmental and intellectual disabilities
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the office for citizens with developmental disabilities of the Louisiana
3 Department of Health to conduct a study concerning the feasibility and desirability
4 of implementing a system for tracking the location of children with developmental
5 and intellectual disabilities and to report findings of the study to certain legislative
6 committees.
7 WHEREAS, the safety of the children of this state is a paramount concern of the
8legislature; and
9 WHEREAS, along with groups that advocate for people with disabilities and their
10families, the legislature works to foster a culture in our state that cherishes children with
11developmental and intellectual disabilities and prioritizes the needs and well-being of these
12children; and
13 WHEREAS, beyond special educational and health needs, children with
14developmental and intellectual disabilities often have special needs in terms of their safety;
15and
16 WHEREAS, with respect to children with developmental and intellectual disabilities,
17wandering (also called elopement) refers to a child leaving a safe area or a responsible
18caregiver for longer than the brief time that a typical toddler might run off from someone
19who is watching over him; and
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HCR NO. 45
1 WHEREAS, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates
2that wandering is an important safety issue which can affect people with disabilities, their
3families, and the community; and
4 WHEREAS, numerous studies have concluded that children with disabilities are at
5much higher risk of experiencing exploitation and violence than their peers who do not have
6disabilities; and
7 WHEREAS, examples of such studies include one published in 2012 in the medical
8journal The Lancet which found that, overall, children with disabilities are almost four times
9more likely to experience violence than children without disabilities, and that the risk of a
10child with a developmental or intellectual disability experiencing sexual violence is over
11four-and-a-half times greater than that of a child with no such disability; and
12 WHEREAS, as evidenced by its adoption of House Concurrent Resolution No. 53
13of the 2020 Regular Session and House Concurrent Resolution No. 84 of the 2019 Regular
14Session, both of which addressed potential means of addressing safety issues experienced
15by people with autism, the legislature has recently made efforts to find policy solutions for
16protecting people with special needs; and
17 WHEREAS, a system for tracking the physical location of children with
18developmental and intellectual disabilities could be a means of ensuring the safety of such
19children; however, matters such as privacy, cost, duties and responsibilities relating to the
20system, and, potentially, other important considerations should be evaluated before any
21policymaking body considers implementing a system of this type.
22 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
23urge and request the office for citizens with developmental disabilities of the Louisiana
24Department of Health to conduct a study concerning the feasibility and desirability of
25implementing a system for tracking the location of children with developmental and
26intellectual disabilities.
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in conducting the study called for in this
28Resolution, the office for citizens with developmental disabilities shall engage, collaborate
29with, and obtain information and perspective from stakeholder groups that advocate for
30children with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families.
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HCR NO. 45
1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Department of Health shall submit
2findings from the study called for in this Resolution in the form of a written report to the
3House Committee on Health and Welfare, the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, the
4House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice, the Senate Committee on Judiciary
5B, and the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library on or before February 1, 2022.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
7secretary 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 45 Engrossed 2021 Regular Session Bagley
Urges and requests the office for citizens with developmental disabilities of the La.
Department of Health (LDH) to conduct a study concerning the feasibility and desirability
of implementing a system for tracking the location of children with developmental and
intellectual disabilities.
Requires LDH to submit findings from the study in the form of a written report to the
legislative committees on health and welfare, the House Committee on Administration of
Criminal Justice, and the Senate Committee on Judiciary B on or before Feb. 1, 2022.
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