Louisiana Staff Update, January 12

We are officially two months away from Louisiana's 2018 Regular Session, slated to start on March 12. Our key priority during session will be to pass Telephone CPR legislation that ensures 911 callers receive high-quality CPR instructions if needed.

Action Needed

• For the latest advocacy news in Louisiana, please like American Heart Association - Louisiana on Facebook and follow @YouretheCureLA on Twitter. Feel free to share or retweet any posted information on your work or personal social media accounts.

Key Dates

• February 14 - 2018 Northwest Louisiana Go Red For Women Luncheon.
• February 15 - 2018 Northeast Louisiana Go Red for Women Luncheon.
• February 23 - 2018 Baton Rouge Go Red For Women Luncheon.
• February 28 - Legislation for the 2018 Regular Session must be requested.
• March 2 - Legislation for the 2018 Regular Session must be pre-filed by 5PM deadline.
• March 12 - The 2018 Regular Legislative Session will convene at noon. Read the 2018 Regular Session bulletin.
• April 7 - 2018 Capital Area Heart Walk. 
• May 15 - 2018 AHA Day at the Capitol. We invite all staff to invite, and ask that staff invite volunteers to the event. We'll host a call for all staff right before registration opens.

Campaign Updates

State Campaigns

Telephone CPR: Telecommunicators are the true, first responders and a critical link in the cardiac arrest chain of survival. It is the telecommunicator, in partnership with the caller, who can identify a patient in cardiac arrest, providing the initial level of care by delivering telephone CPR (T-CPR) instructions to the caller, and quickly dispatching the appropriate level of help. It is through these actions that the telecommunicator can make the difference between life and death. In the upcoming legislative session, the American Heart Association will work with state legislators to develop a statute requiring all 911 telecommunicators that provide dispatch for emergency medical conditions be trained in the delivery of high-quality telephone CPR. “High-Quality Telephone CPR (T-CPR) Instruction” is the delivery by trained 911 telecommunicators of high-quality CPR instruction for acute events requiring CPR, including but not limited to, out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA).

Smoke Free Louisiana: In 2006, the Louisiana Legislature passed the Louisiana Smoke Free Air Act. Although the legislation prohibited smoking in most workplaces, the bill excluded bars and casinos statewide, but gave local governing authorities the power to pass local smoke free ordinances. With each additional local ordinance passed, the need for a strong, statewide law becomes for viable to finally close this policy gap. As a leader among the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Louisiana (CTFLA), the American Heart Association will work to ensure smoke-free workplaces for all Louisianans during the upcoming session. If you would like to be engaged, please email [email protected].

Local Campaigns

Smoke Free Air – Pineville: The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Louisiana (CTFLA) has begun grassroots activities in the city of Pineville. Having volunteer-based support to push council members to consider a smoke free ordinance is imperative. If you live in Rapides Parish and would like to be engaged, please email [email protected].

In Other News

• John Bel Edwards less optimistic about fixing state budget in February (NOLA.com)
• Louisiana will gain more than $200 million from federal tax changes (NOLA.com)
• In wake of Trump's Medicaid-related announcement, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards 'actively working' on ideas (TheAdvocate.com)