HLS 24RS-516 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 87
BY REPRESENTATIVE MILLER
HEALTH CARE: Continues the Health Inequalities and Disparities in Rural Areas Task
Force
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To continue the Health Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force created in the 2022 Regular
3 Session of the Legislature of Louisiana pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution No.
4 44 to identify and study key health issues affecting rural areas and develop strategies
5 to improve health outcomes for rural and underserved communities and to submit a
6 written report to the House and Senate committees on health and welfare by
7 February 1, 2025.
8 WHEREAS, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and
9Prevention, overall health outcomes for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and
10American Indians in this country are far poorer than for white people; and
11 WHEREAS, vast health disparities persist in this country, particularly in rural areas,
12and many have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
13 WHEREAS, rural areas comprise roughly eighty percent of Louisiana's total
14geographic area; and
15 WHEREAS, nearly twenty-six percent of our state's population, totaling more than
16one million two hundred thousand Louisianans, live in rural communities; and
17 WHEREAS, sixty-three of Louisiana's sixty-four parishes are classified as health
18professional shortage areas according to the standards of the federal Health Resources and
19Services Administration; and
20 WHEREAS, approximately ninety-eight percent of this state's entire population lives
21in a federally designated health professional shortage area; and
Page 1 of 3 HLS 24RS-516 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 87
1 WHEREAS, the vast majority of Louisiana's rural communities are medically
2underserved by all established measures, yet programs to address the health care needs of
3this population 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
9continue the Health Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force.
10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, with the following exceptions, the membership
11and duties of the task force shall continue as provided in House Concurrent Resolution No.
1244 of the 2022 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership of the task force shall include
14one member from the Clinicians of Color Working Group and one member of the Louisiana
15Managed Medicaid Association, appointed by the board of directors of the Louisiana
16Managed Medicaid Association.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall continue to be a
18subcommittee of the Statewide Health Equity Consortium within the Louisiana Department
19of Health.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Statewide Health Equity Consortium shall
21reconvene the meeting of the task force no later than August 15, 2024.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members shall be given reasonable notice
23of the meetings of the Health Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any member who fails to attend two consecutive
25meetings shall subject to removal by a majority vote of the task force.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED if a member of the task force is removed, the
27chairperson may nominate a new member, who will become a member by majority vote of
28the current members of the task force.
29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may adopt rules of procedure and
30any other policies as may be necessary to facilitate the work of the group.
Page 2 of 3 HLS 24RS-516 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 87
1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that on or before February 1, 2025, the task force
2shall submit to the House Committee on Health and Welfare, the Senate Committee on
3Health and Welfare, and the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library a report of its
4findings and recommendations.
5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
6president of the board of directors and the director of clinical practice, health policy, and
7advocacy of the Louisiana State Nurses Association, the executive director of the Louisiana
8State Board of Nursing, the executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Medical
9Examiners, the dean of the Southern University School of Nursing, the president of the board
10of directors of the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners, the chief executive officer
11of the Louisiana State Medical Society, the chief operating officer of the Rural Hospital
12Coalition, Inc., the president of the Louisiana Hospital Association, the executive director
13of the Louisiana Rural Health Association, the executive director of the Louisiana Primary
14Care Association, the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, the president of the
15board of directors of the Louisiana Managed Medicaid Association, the state director of
16AARP Louisiana, the president of the board of directors of the Louisiana Academy of
17Family Physicians, the president of the Louisiana Council of Administrators in Nursing
18Education, the president of the Black Nurses Association of Acadiana, and the president of
19the 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 87 Original 2024 Regular Session Miller
Continues the Health Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force as a subcommittee of the
Statewide Health Equity Consortium within the La. Dept. of Health and provides for the
duties of the task force.
Requires the Statewide Health Equity Consortium to reconvene the meeting of the task force
no later than Aug. 15, 2024.
Requires the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the legislative
committees on health and welfare on or before Feb. 1, 2025.
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