ENROLLED
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 87
BY REPRESENTATIVES ROBERT OWEN, ADAMS, ROBBY CARTER, CORMIER,
COX, GREEN, HUGHES, ILLG, JEFFERSON, JONES, LARVADAIN, PIERRE,
THOMPSON, WHITE, AND WILLARD
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To create a task force to study and make recommendations for increasing awareness of
chronic kidney disease, to request the task force to work with policymakers, public
health entities, and educational institutions to create educational health programs to
promote awareness, and to submit a written report of its findings and
recommendations to the Legislature of Louisiana not later than thirty days prior to
the convening of the 2022 Regular Session.
WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
when a person develops chronic kidney disease, his kidneys become damaged and over time
the kidneys may not clean the blood as well as healthy kidneys; and
WHEREAS, according to the CDC, kidneys that do not work well can lead to toxic
waste and extra fluid accumulating in the body and may lead to high blood pressure, heart
disease, stroke, and premature death; and
WHEREAS, according to CDC estimates, approximately fifteen percent of adults in
the United States, or roughly thirty-seven million people, have chronic kidney disease; and
WHEREAS, the CDC also estimates that approximately ninety percent of adults with
chronic kidney disease do not know they have the disease and approximately forty percent
of adults with severe chronic kidney disease do not know they have the disease; and
WHEREAS, through access to educational health programs on chronic kidney
disease, people with or at risk for this disease can acquire the information necessary to
combat the disease; and
Page 1 of 4 HCR NO. 87 ENROLLED
WHEREAS, by increasing awareness of chronic kidney disease through promoting
kidney health, promoting early diagnosis and treatment, and preventing and controlling risk
factors for chronic kidney disease, people with or at risk for chronic kidney disease can be
empowered to take the necessary steps to protect their kidneys.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
establish the Kidney Disease Prevention and Education Task Force to study and make
recommendations for increasing awareness of chronic kidney disease and to work with
policymakers, public health entities, and educational institutions to create educational health
programs to promote awareness.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership of the task force shall be as
follows:
(1)The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health or his designee.
(2)The chancellor of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at
New Orleans or his designee.
(3)The chancellor of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at
Shreveport or his designee.
(4)One representative from the National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana.
(5)One representative from the Louisiana State Medical Society.
(6)One representative from the Louisiana Public Health Institute.
(7)One representative appointed by the American Kidney Fund.
(8)One representative from the Tulane University School of Medicine.
(9)One representative from the Louisiana Primary Care Association.
(10)One representative from the Southern University School of Nursing.
(11)One representative from Ochsner Health System.
(12)One representative from LCMC Health System.
(13)One representative from the Louisiana State Nurses Association.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Department of Health shall
provide staff support as needed by the task force.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that at its first meeting, the task force shall elect from
among its members a chairperson, who shall preside over the task force.
Page 2 of 4 HCR NO. 87 ENROLLED
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force shall serve
without compensation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall convene its first meeting by
September 1, 2021, and shall meet as frequently as it deems necessary for the timely
performance of its duties.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall submit a written report of
its findings and recommendations to the Legislature of Louisiana not later than thirty days
prior to the convening of the 2022 Regular Session.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall study and make
recommendations concerning matters that include but are not limited to the following:
(1)The examination of existing disparities, if any, on how chronic kidney
disease, transplantation, and kidney donation affect and impact non-
minorities versus minorities and how to reduce or eliminate those disparities.
(2)The development of a sustainable plan to increase awareness about early
detection, promote health equity and transplantation, and reduce the burden
of kidney disease throughout the state of Louisiana.
(3)The development of a sustainable plan to conduct health education
workshops and seminars in order to promote awareness about chronic kidney
disease.
(4)The development of a sustainable plan to increase preventive screening of
chronic kidney disease in order to help bring about awareness of the disease
and to screen, find, and treat people who may have the disease.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, the chancellor of the Louisiana State
University Health Sciences Center at New Orleans, the chancellor of the Louisiana State
University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, the chief executive officer of the National
Kidney Foundation of Louisiana, the president of the Louisiana State Medical Society, the
chief executive officer of the Louisiana Public Health Institute, the president and chief
executive officer of the American Kidney Fund, the dean of the Tulane University School
of Medicine, the executive director of the Louisiana Primary Care Association, the dean of
the Southern University School of Nursing, the chief executive officer of Ochsner Health
Page 3 of 4 HCR NO. 87 ENROLLED
System, the chief executive officer of LCMC Health System, and the executive director of
the Louisiana State Nurses Association.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Page 4 of 4