House Concurrent Resolution No. 4 proposes to suspend the administrative rules outlined in LAC 76:V.137(B) for a period of eighteen months. These rules currently impose restrictions on supplemental feeding and baiting within areas designated as Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Control Areas in Louisiana. CWD is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting deer, and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has implemented these regulations to mitigate its spread. However, the resolution highlights that these restrictions conflict with traditional hunting practices, negatively impact local farmers and businesses, and hinder efforts to manage wild hog populations.

The resolution emphasizes the need for continued study and stakeholder engagement regarding CWD, given the lack of evidence linking the disease to human infection and the persistence of CWD prions in the environment. By suspending these rules, the resolution aims to alleviate the cultural and economic burdens on hunting and land management while allowing for further examination of effective strategies to address CWD. The resolution also directs the office of the state register to publish a summary of its provisions in the Louisiana Register.