HLS 21RS-3748 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 172
BY REPRESENTATIVE MAGEE
GOVERNOR: Urges and requests the governor to consider instituting a program to
incentivize COVID-19 vaccine take-up modeled on the Ohio Vax-a-Million lottery
program
1 A RESOLUTION
2To urge and request the governor to consider instituting in this state a program to incentivize
3 COVID-19 vaccine take-up which is modeled on the Vax-a-Million lottery program
4 of the State of Ohio.
5 WHEREAS, the ongoing global outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel
6coronavirus and named "coronavirus disease 2019", abbreviated as "COVID-19", has been
7officially recognized as a pandemic since March 11, 2020; and
8 WHEREAS, the number of deaths from COVID-19 surpassed five hundred thousand
9in the United States in February of 2021 and eclipsed ten thousand in Louisiana in March
10of 2021; and
11 WHEREAS, COVID-19 is now the leading cause of death in the United States; and
12 WHEREAS, widespread vaccination against COVID-19 is a critically important
13means of helping to end the pandemic; and
14 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Department of Health reports that in the first week of
15June of this year, COVID-19 vaccines are available through providers in all sixty-four
16Louisiana parishes and that, state-wide, one thousand four hundred sixty-four providers,
17including national and independent pharmacies, public health agencies, hospitals, clinics,
18and physicians' offices are administering the vaccine; and
19 WHEREAS, despite a strong start in COVID-19 vaccine take-up in January of this
20year and extensive availability of the vaccine currently, Louisiana has experienced a marked
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HR NO. 172
1decline in the rate of people becoming newly vaccinated against COVID-19; as of June 2,
22021, at twenty nine and one tenth percent, Louisiana's per capita rate of COVID-19
3vaccination ranks behind only Alabama's, Arkansas's, and Mississippi's among U.S. states;
4and
5 WHEREAS, other states have initiated enterprising and engaging programs to boost
6their COVID-19 vaccination rates; and
7 WHEREAS, notable among such programs is that of the state of Ohio, which, in May
8of 2021, under the leadership of Governor Mike DeWine, launched a lottery system branded
9as "Vax-a-Million" that offers chances for a one-million-dollar weekly prize and full college
10scholarships to people who receive at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and register to win.
11 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
12Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request Governor John Bel Edwards to
13consider instituting in this state a program to incentivize COVID-19 vaccine take-up which
14is modeled on the Vax-a-Million lottery program of the state of Ohio.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
16governor and to the secretary 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)]
HR 172 Original 2021 Regular Session Magee
Urges and requests the governor to consider instituting in La. a program to incentivize
COVID-19 vaccine take-up which is modeled on the Vax-a-Million lottery program of the
state of Ohio.
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