HLS 22RS-863 ORIGINAL
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 44
BY REPRESENTATIVE DUSTIN MILLER
HEALTH: Creates and provides for the Health Inequities and Disparities in Rural Areas
Task Force
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To create the Health Inequities and Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force, to provide for the
3 composition and duties of the task force, and to require the task force to report
4 findings and recommendations to the legislative committees on health and welfare.
5 WHEREAS, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and
6Prevention, overall health outcomes for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and
7American Indians in this country are far poorer than for white people; and
8 WHEREAS, vast health disparities persist in this country, particularly in rural areas,
9and many have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
10 WHEREAS, rural areas comprise roughly eighty percent of Louisiana's total
11geographic area; and
12 WHEREAS, nearly twenty-six percent of our state's population, totaling more than
13one million two hundred thousand Louisianans, live in rural communities; and
14 WHEREAS, sixty-three of Louisiana's sixty-four parishes are classified as health
15professional shortage areas according to the standards of the federal Health Resources and
16Services Administration; and
17 WHEREAS, approximately ninety-eight percent of this state's entire population lives
18in a federally designated health professional shortage area; and
19 WHEREAS, the vast majority of Louisiana's rural communities are medically
20underserved by all established measures, yet programs to address the healthcare needs of this
Page 1 of 4 HLS 22RS-863 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 44
1population remain underfunded and few are guided by local stakeholders or locally
2conducted needs assessments; and
3 WHEREAS, in consideration of the findings set forth in this Resolution, the
4legislature hereby declares that improving health outcomes in rural communities is a critical
5public health priority of this state.
6 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
7create the Health Inequities and Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be composed of the
9following members:
10 (1) The president of the board of directors of the Louisiana State Nurses Association
11or his designee.
12 (2) The Louisiana State Nurses Association advocacy chair for District 4 of the
13association or his designee.
14 (3) The executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Nursing or his designee.
15 (4) The executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners or his
16designee.
17 (5) The dean of the Southern University School of Nursing or his designee.
18 (6) The president of the board of directors of the Louisiana Association of Nurse
19Practitioners or his designee.
20 (7) The chief executive officer of the Louisiana State Medical Society or his
21designee.
22 (8) The chief operating officer of the Rural Hospital Coalition, Inc. or his designee.
23 (9) The president of the Louisiana Hospital Association or his designee.
24 (10) The executive director of the Louisiana Rural Health Association or his
25designee.
26 (11) The executive director of the Louisiana Primary Care Association or his
27designee.
28 (12) The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health or his designee.
29 (13) The executive director of the Louisiana Managed Medicaid Association or his
30designee.
Page 2 of 4 HLS 22RS-863 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 44
1 (14) The state director of AARP Louisiana or his designee.
2 (15) A certified nurse midwife appointed by the executive director of the Louisiana
3State Board of Nursing.
4 (16) The president of the board of directors of the Louisiana Academy of Family
5Physicians or his designee.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the duties of the task force shall include, without
7limitation, all of the following:
8 (1) Identifying the key drivers of health disparities in rural areas.
9 (2) Considering social determinants of health in developing recommendations for
10delivering high-quality health care in rural areas.
11 (3) Studying practicable solutions for reducing healthcare provider shortages in rural
12communities of Louisiana.
13 (4) Collaborating with health professional licensing boards of this state to draft
14proposals for legislation that will foster greater access to care for rural residents.
15 (5) Developing proposals for healthcare workforce training initiatives which
16promote diversity in health professions.
17 (6) Studying the impact of access to broadband internet and other technologies that
18facilitate wider deployment of telehealth and telemedicine services and thereby improve
19access to care in rural areas.
20 (7) Serving as a resource for parish governments to build partnerships for
21community outreach to address social determinants of health in rural communities.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of the Louisiana Department of
23Health shall convene the first meeting of the task force no later than August 15, 2022.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, at its first meeting, the task force shall select
25from among its members a chairperson and any other officers it deems necessary for the
26functioning of the group.
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may adopt rules of procedure and
28any other policies as may be necessary to facilitate the work of the group.
29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that on or before March 1, 2023, the task force shall
30submit to the House Committee on Health and Welfare, the Senate Committee on Health and
Page 3 of 4 HLS 22RS-863 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 44
1Welfare, and the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library a report of its findings and
2recommendations.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that legislative authority for the task force shall
4terminate on July 1, 2023.
5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
6president of the board of directors and the advocacy chair for District 4 of the Louisiana
7State Nurses Association, the executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, the
8executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, the dean of the
9Southern University School of Nursing, the president of the board of directors of the
10Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners, the chief executive officer of the Louisiana
11State Medical Society, the chief operating officer of the Rural Hospital Coalition, Inc., the
12president of the Louisiana Hospital Association, the executive director of the Louisiana
13Rural Health Association, the executive director of the Louisiana Primary Care Association,
14the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, the executive director of the Louisiana
15Managed Medicaid Association, the state director of AARP Louisiana, and the president of
16the board of directors of the Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians.
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 44 Original 2022 Regular Session Dustin Miller
Creates and provides for the duties of a 16-member Health Inequities and Disparities in
Rural Areas Task Force.
Requires the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the legislative
committees on health and welfare on or before March 1, 2023.
Page 4 of 4