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Committee backs creation of Chronic Wasting Disease task force to advise state on surveillance and mitigation
Summary
The House Natural Resources Committee reported HCR 75 favorably to the House by voice vote. The resolution creates a multi‑stakeholder task force charged with reviewing surveillance, movement rules and mitigation for chronic wasting disease (CWD) after detections in Louisiana.
The House Natural Resources Committee voted to report HCR 75 favorably on May 29, establishing a legislative task force to advise the state on chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer. The measure passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition in committee.
What the measure does HCR 75 calls for the formation of a task force that includes legislative appointees, representatives of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), the state veterinarian (Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry), members from landowner and hunting organizations, representatives of the timber and private land sectors, processing and feed‑store businesses from the CWD area, and non‑voting federal participants (U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and USDA personnel). The resolution directs the task force to study best practices, assess surveillance and movement controls, and recommend mitigation strategies for CWD.
Why the state is acting LDWF officials told the committee that CWD is a fatal neurological disease affecting members of the deer family and that Louisiana’s first wild detection was in 2022. The department said surveillance efforts are ongoing and that the disease has been found in a limited number of wild deer and in several captive facilities; the state agency reported early action including a CWD control area and restrictions on feeding and carcass movement. LDWF representatives emphasized that the disease persists in the environment and that early mitigation is more likely to be effective.
Key committee points - LDWF said current tools are limited and that mitigation focuses on early detection, restrictions on baiting/feeding and careful carcass handling to reduce the chance of human‑assisted spread. - The task force is intended to broaden representation and to include private landowners, processors and federal partners in addition to state agencies and legislators. - Committee members asked about population‑management options, sharpshooting or agency‑led reduction and logistics for carcass processing and donation; LDWF said most current mitigation will rely on voluntary hunter participation and expanded surveillance, and that agency staff capacity limits the use of direct agency removal at scale.
Procedural outcome Representative DeWitt moved to report HCR 75 favorably. The motion carried with no recorded opposition; the resolution will proceed to the full House for consideration.
Follow up HCR 75 directs the task force to convene and provide recommendations; LDWF and Agriculture and Forestry representatives will support task force work and provide data on surveillance and quarantines for captive facilities. Committee members asked the agencies to return with operational details and timelines for sampling, outreach and use of processors and food‑bank channels for increased harvest.
