HLS 21RS-3475 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 160
BY REPRESENTATIVE GARY CARTER
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Designates June 2, 2021, as Civil Legal Aid Day at the
state capitol
1 A RESOLUTION
2To recognize Wednesday, June 2, 2021, as Civil Legal Aid Day at the state capitol.
3 WHEREAS, even though the outcome of civil legal matters often results in life-
4altering consequences, indigent citizens have no right to counsel in civil matters; and
5 WHEREAS, a basic tenet of a just society is the provision of equal access to legal
6services, a tenet that is essential to the achievement of fairness in our civil justice system;
7and
8 WHEREAS, a foundation of our legal system is access to legal services, regardless
9of a citizen's ability to pay; and
10 WHEREAS, at 20%, Louisiana's poverty rate is among the nation's highest, and an
11estimated 230,000 poor Louisiana citizens will need legal services each year; and
12 WHEREAS, in 2020, the Acadiana Legal Service Corporation and the Southeast
13Louisiana Legal Services Corporation helped 32,494 people to achieve increased access to
14safety, employment, and security; and
15 WHEREAS, the Acadiana Legal Service Corporation and the Southeast Louisiana
16Legal Service Corporation provide legal representation in merited cases to Louisiana's poor
17and work to ensure equal access and justice for all; and
18 WHEREAS, these organizations help historically disadvantaged constituents with
19legal matters, including veterans seeking service benefits, victims of domestic violence
20seeking protection against abusers, senior citizens fighting consumer fraud, homeowners
21opposing unlawful foreclosure, and parents seeking child support; and
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HR NO. 160
1 WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of all stakeholders in Louisiana's justice system
2to ensure access to legal services; and
3 WHEREAS, each year, Louisiana attorneys provide hundreds of thousands of hours
4in volunteer legal services; and
5 WHEREAS, a study commissioned by the Louisiana Bar Foundation found that the
6total net social return on investment for Louisiana's legal aid programs during the 2020 fiscal
7year was 918%, so for every dollar the state invests in Louisiana's civil legal aid providers,
8these programs deliver $9.18 in immediate and long-term financial benefits; and
9 WHEREAS, investment in civil legal aid benefits families, schools, businesses,
10government agencies, and the state as a whole.
11 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
12Legislature of Louisiana does hereby recognize Wednesday, June 2, 2021, as Civil Legal Aid
13Day at the state capitol and does hereby extend sincere thanks to the caring professionals
14who provide civil legal aid to the citizens of Louisiana.
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)]
HR 160 Original 2021 Regular Session Gary Carter
Designates June 2, 2021, as Civil Legal Aid Day at the state capitol.
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