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