Louisiana HB 525: HEALTH/CANCER: Provides relative to the Louisiana Cancer Research Center

Bill Text

HLS 19RS-698 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 525
BY REPRESENTATIVE HENRY AND SENATOR ALARIO
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
HEALTH/CANCER: Provides relative to the Louisiana Cancer Research Center
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:1921, 1922, 1923(A), 1924(introductory paragraph) and (4),
3 1925, and 1926, relative to state-supported cancer research institutions; to provide
4 relative to the Louisiana Cancer Research Center; to provide for purposes of the
5 Louisiana Cancer Research Center; to provide relative to the executive director of
6 the cancer research center; to provide for governance of the center; to provide for
7 securing of National Cancer Institute designation; to revise legislative findings
8 relative to cancer research; and to provide for related matters.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 17:1921, 1922, 1923(A), 1924(introductory paragraph) and (4), 1925,
11 and 1926 are hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
12 §1921. Findings and purpose
13 A. The legislature hereby finds and declares the following:
14 (1) Louisiana has one of the highest incidences of mortality from cancer
15 overall, with mortality from cancer particularly high in rural areas which have
16 limited access to cancer detection and treatment, among lower income Louisianans
17 no matter where they live, and among minorities.
18 (2) The unfortunate condition of Louisiana's high cancer incidence and
19 mortality rates provides the rationale for the establishment of an NCI-designated
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are additions.

HLS 19RS-698 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 525
1 cancer center in Louisiana that can study and address health disparities relating to
2 cancer.
3 B. The purpose of this Chapter is to create the Louisiana Cancer Research
4 Center of L.S.U. Health Sciences Center in New Orleans/Tulane Health Sciences
5 Center with the primary function of conducting research and promoting education
6 in the diagnosis, detection, and treatment of cancer in its pursuit of obtaining
7 National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation for the two health sciences centers
8 cancer research center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Data from multiple sources
9 indicate that Louisiana's citizens suffer disproportionately from a high rate of
10 cancer-induced deaths. The latest statistics from the American Cancer Society show
11 that Louisiana has the highest cancer mortality rate in the nation. Approximately one
12 hundred eighty Louisiana citizens die each week from cancer, and the cost to the
13 state's economy is close to four hundred million dollars per year in lost productivity
14 from excessive early death from cancer. By coordinating and focusing the its cancer
15 research efforts at the Louisiana Cancer Research Center of L.S.U. Health Sciences
16 Center in New Orleans/Tulane Health Sciences Center and by providing modern new
17 research resources and infrastructure, the cancer centers in New Orleans, Louisiana
18 will be able to develop their current facilities and recruit the new faculty members
19 necessary to achieve secure the designation as of an NCI designated NCI-designated
20 cancer center, the recognized gold preeminent standard for excellence in cancer
21 research, treatment, and prevention. There are sixty such centers in the United
22 States, but none in Louisiana, Mississippi, or Arkansas. The closest NCI designated
23 cancer centers are three hundred fifty miles to the west of New Orleans at the M.D.
24 Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas, and three hundred fifty miles to the northeast
25 of New Orleans at the University of Alabama Medical Center in Birmingham,
26 Alabama.
27 §1922. Louisiana Cancer Research Center of L.S.U. Health Sciences Center in New
28 Orleans/Tulane Health Sciences Center; creation; domicile; fiscal year
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.

HLS 19RS-698 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 525
1 The Louisiana Cancer Research Center of L.S.U. Health Sciences Center in
2 New Orleans/Tulane Health Sciences Center, hereafter referred to as "center", is
3 hereby created as a body corporate under the administration of a governance
4 governing board as provided in this Chapter and in accordance with R.S. 17:3390(B).
5 The domicile of the center shall be Orleans Parish. The center shall operate on a
6 fiscal year basis commencing on July first and ending on June thirtieth of each year.
7 §1923. Governing board; membership
8 A. The governance governing board of the center shall exercise all powers,
9 rights, and duties conferred upon the center by this Chapter or other provisions of
10 law. The board shall consist of the senior vice president for health sciences of
11 Tulane University Health Sciences Center, a senior Louisiana State University
12 Health Sciences Center represen