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