SLS 25RS-456 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 9
BY SENATORS DUPLESSIS AND MYERS
CHILDREN. Creates a task force to study and report on strategies to increase engagement
of fathers in the lives of their children.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To create and provide for the Task Force on Fatherhood Engagement to study how
3 Louisiana can increase the engagement of fathers in the lives of their children, to
4 research best practices, and develop recommendations for each state agency to
5 promote the full inclusion of fathers and the involvement of fathers in the lives of
6 their children.
7 WHEREAS, Louisiana ranks forty-ninth out of the fifty states for its percentage of
8 out-of-wedlock births and single mother households; and
9 WHEREAS, Louisiana ranks forty-fifth on Wallet Hub's "Best States for Working
10 Dads" list; and
11 WHEREAS, Louisiana ranks forty-ninth on a recent analysis of Child and Family
12 Service Reviews for engaging fathers in case planning in child welfare; and
13 WHEREAS, Louisiana has the highest male incarceration rate of any state in the
14 nation; and
15 WHEREAS, numerous research studies have shown that the involvement of fathers
16 in the lives of their children beginning during the prenatal period contributes to improved
17 social, emotional, cognitive, and language development, self-esteem, positive behavior,
18 mental health, physical health, and overall well-being among their children; and
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1 WHEREAS, research has also linked fathers' involvement with their children to
2 improved health and well-being among both fathers and mothers and stronger relationship
3 outcomes among parenting couples; and
4 WHEREAS, numerous state legislatures have prioritized supporting fatherhood
5 involvement and engagement as an important strategy to improve outcomes across family
6 and child-focused systems in their state; and
7 WHEREAS, Louisiana has an opportunity to strengthen the engagement of fathers
8 across its health, child care, education, workforce, public safety, and child welfare systems.
9 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
10 establish and provide for the Task Force on Fatherhood Engagement to research best
11 practices and develop recommendations for each state agency to promote the full inclusion
12 of fathers and the involvement of fathers in the lives of their children and to report its
13 findings and recommendations by written report to the legislature and to the David R.
14 Poynter Legislative Research Library as required by R.S. 24:771 and 772, no later than
15 February 28, 2026.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall consist of the following
17 members:
18 (1) The director of early childhood systems in the office of the governor.
19 (2) The executive director of the Louisiana Children's Cabinet or her designee.
20 (3) The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services or
21 his designee.
22 (4) The superintendent of the Louisiana Department of Education or his designee.
23 (5) The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections or
24 his designee.
25 (6) The director of the bureau of family health within the Louisiana Department of
26 Health or her designee.
27 (7) The director of the Louisiana Head Start Collaboration.
28 (8) A representative from Fathers on a Mission as a fatherhood-focused non-profit
29 based in the Baton Rouge area.
30 (9) A representative from Dad-A-Port as a fatherhood program that focuses on
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1 fathers who are formerly incarcerated.
2 (10) A representative from Fathers Matter NOLA as a fatherhood-focused program
3 in the New Orleans area.
4 (11) A representative of the steering committee of the Geaux Far Louisiana
5 Coalition.
6 (12) The chief executive officer of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children or her
7 designee.
8 (13) The executive director of the Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families
9 or her designee.
10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each designating authority shall submit the
11 names of designees to the task force to director of early childhood systems in the office of
12 the governor no later than July 31, 2025.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the task force shall convene for its first meeting no
14 later than August 31, 2025, at the call of the director of early childhood systems in the office
15 of the governor, and at the first meeting, the members shall elect a chairman and other
16 officers as the task force may deem appropriate.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a draft report with preliminary recommendations
18 shall be generated and reviewed at a meeting of the task force by January 31, 2026, and a
19 final report with recommendations shall be generated and approved by the task force by
20 February 28, 2026.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force meetings may be conducted in
22 person or virtually using a secure web-based platform as authorized by law.
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the duties of the task force shall include but not
24 be limited to all of the following:
25 (1) Research and recommend best practices that would recognize and promote
26 fathers' contributions to improving societal outcomes for children and families in Louisiana.
27 (2) Research and develop plans for how each state agency can promote the
28 involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, including but not limited to the
29 Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Education, the Louisiana
30 Department of Health, and the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
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1 (3) Research and develop programs and entities that foster the following:
2 (i) Workforce development programs that assist fathers in preparing for, finding and
3 securing employment.
4 (ii) Parenting through skills-based educational programs that foster quality
5 co-parenting relationships.
6 (iii) Development of conflict resolution skills training.
7 (4) Propose changes to statutes, regulations, administrative rules, and policies that
8 impede the development or implementation of greater father involvement measures or that
9 will enhance the prospect of success of those measures.
10 (5) Identify additional sources of funding, including non-governmental sources, to
11 support programs that directly support fathers and responsible fatherhood.
12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be empowered to request and
13 collect relevant data and information necessary to fulfill its purposes from state agencies and
14 community-based organizations.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may, to the extent feasible, request
16 such information and data at no cost.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall incorporate the findings from
18 the study of other states' fatherhood initiatives in its comprehensive report of findings and
19 policy recommendations.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that staff support for the task force meetings shall
21 be provided by an agreed upon non-governmental entity in coordination with the director of
22 early childhood systems in the office of the governor with no cost of administration being
23 borne by the state.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the task force shall constitute a
25 quorum for the transaction of business. All official actions of the task force shall require the
26 affirmative vote of a majority of the members.
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force shall serve
28 without compensation, except per diem or expenses reimbursement to which they may be
29 individually entitled as members of their constituent organizations.
30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall terminate on the date of the
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1 submission of its report or February 28, 2026, whichever occurs first.
2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
3 director of early childhood systems in the office of the governor, the executive director of
4 the Louisiana Children's Cabinet, the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Children and
5 Family Services, the superintendent of the Louisiana Department of Education, the secretary
6 of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, the director of the bureau of
7 family health within the Louisiana Department of Health, the director of the Louisiana Head
8 Start Collaboration, the executive director of Fathers on a Mission, the founder of the
9 Dad-A-Port fatherhood program, the co-founders of Fathers Matter NOLA, the co-chairs of
10 the Geaux Far Louisiana Coalition, the chief executive officer of the Louisiana Policy
11 Institute for Children, and the executive director of the Louisiana Partnership for Children
12 and Families.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Senate Legislative Services.
The keyword, summary, 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)]
DIGEST
SCR 9 Original 2025 Regular Session Duplessis
Creates the Task Force on Fatherhood Engagement to study how Louisiana can increase the
engagement of fathers in the lives of their children, research best practices, and develop
recommendations for each state agency to promote the full inclusion of fathers and the
involvement of fathers in the lives of their children.
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