SCR 83 — CONDOLENCES: Expresses sincere condolences upon the passing of Josephine Ruth Kennedy, former Medicaid Director of the Louisiana Department of Health.

SLS 26RS-1248 ORIGINAL Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO.

83 BY SENATOR EDMONDS CONDOLENCES.A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION To express the sincere condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the passing of JosephineRuth Kennedy,formerMedicaidDirectoroftheLouisianaDepartmentof Health.

ExpressesWHEREAS, sinceretheLegislatureofLouisianagreatlyhonorsandcommemoratesthelife condolences upon the passing of Josephine Ruth Kennedy, formera Medicaidtrailblazer Directorand ofextraordinary thepublic Louisianaservant, Departmentwho at the age of Health.seventy-one passed awayon March 20, 2026;

Aand CONCURRENTWHEREAS, RESOLUTIONJosephine ToRuth expressKennedy, theknown sincereas condolencesRuth ofKennedy, thewas Legislatureborn ofon LouisianaDecember1,1954,inIndependence,Louisiana,toJosephineandWalterKennedyandraised uponon thea passingstrawberryfield ofin JosephineRuthSpringfield Kennedy,with formerMedicaidDirectoroftheLouisianaDepartmentofher Health.five siblings;

WHEREAS,theLegislatureofLouisianagreatlyhonorsandcommemoratesthelifeand ofWHEREAS, Josephineshe RuthgraduatedfromSpringfieldHighSchool Kennedy,in a1972, trailblazerattended Oregon Bible College from 1972 to 1974, and extraordinaryupon publicreturning servant,home whoshe atcontinued theher ageeducation ofat seventy-oneSoutheastern passedLouisiana awayonUniversity Marchfrom 20,1975 2026;to 1979;

and WHEREAS, Josephine Ruth Kennedy, known as Ruth Kennedy, was born on December1,1954,inIndependence,Louisiana,toJosephineandWalterKennedyandraised on a strawberry field in Springfield with her five siblings;

and WHEREAS, she graduated from Springfield High School in 1972,attendedOregon Bible College from 1972 to 1974, and upon returning home she continued her education at Southeastern Louisiana University from 1975 to 1979;

and WHEREAS,RuthKennedyleavesbehindalegacythatisfoundationaltoLouisiana's PageDepartment 1 of 3Health SLSand 26RS-1248its ORIGINALcitizens; SCR NO.

83 Department of Health and its citizens;

and WHEREAS,Page Ruth1 oversawof a3 programSCR servingNO. more than one million residents and later led to her crowning achievement:

the83 implementationENROLLED ofWHEREAS, Louisiana'sRuth Medicaidoversaw expansiona program whichserving resultedmore inthan theone enrollmentmillion ofresidents moreand thanlater fourled hundredto thousandher workingadultsintenmonthswhootherwisewouldhavefacedlimitedcrowning accesstohealthcare;achievement:

the implementation of Louisiana's Medicaid expansion program which resulted in the enrollment of more than four hundred thousand workingadultsintenmonths whootherwisewouldhavefacedlimitedaccesstohealthcare;

and WHEREAS,Ruth,asatrustedandtreasuredresourceforpolicymakersandproviders across this country, received from her peers, the Dunbar Award in 2015,the2015, the highest honor aclassifiedstateemployeecanreceive,andwasalsorecognizedin Washington D.C.D.C.andby the Legislature of Louisiana through resolutions and official documents;

andbyand WHEREAS, Ruth helped manage programs throughout the Legislaturestate ofto Louisianacertify throughcertain resolutionsMedicaid rolls were accurate and officialupdated documents;and that re-enrolled providers in state programs were valid;

and WHEREAS, Ruth helped manage programs throughout the state to certify certain that Medicaid rolls were accurate and updated and that re-enrolled providers in state programs were valid;

herbrother,JosephKennedy(Sharon);sister-in-law,LorettaKennedy;specialcousinSharon PageIrbyDerbins;specialnieceKayKinchen;andmanylovingniecesandnephews;withspecial 2thanks ofand 3appreciation SLSto 26RS-1248Lena ORIGINALMcCarter SCRfor NO.all the care and assistance she rendered throughout the years;

83 IrbyDerbins;specialnieceKayKinchen;andmanylovingniecesandnephews;withspecial thanks and appreciation to Lena McCarter for all the care and assistance she rendered throughout the years;

and WHEREAS, Ruth was a lifelong and influential member of Blood River Church of God where she faithfullyserved bybyteaching teaching and sharing her faith to help shape and inspire the lives of those in her community;

and WHEREAS,Page Josephine2 Ruth Kennedy will be remembered for her unwaving faith, servant's heart, and her lifelong dedication to helping others along with her legacy of compassion,3 leadership,SCR andNO. devotion to her family, faith, and community which will continue to inspire all who were blessed to know her.

83 ENROLLED WHEREAS,JosephineRuthKennedywillberememberedforherunwaveringfaith, servant's heart, and her lifelong dedication to helping others along with her legacy of compassion, leadership, and devotion to her family, faith, and community which will continue to inspire all who were blessed to know her.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copyofcopy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Kennedy family.

ThePRESIDENT originalOF instrumentTHE andSENATE theSPEAKER followingOF digest,THE whichHOUSE constitutesOF noREPRESENTATIVES partPage 3 of the3 legislative instrument, were prepared bySenate 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 83 Original 2026 Regular Session Edmonds Expresses condolences upon the passing of Josephine Ruth Kennedy, former Medicaid Director of the Louisiana Department of Health.

Page 3 of 3