BATON ROUGE - An economic task force made up of private business leaders spoke with state legislators Thursday to discuss the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

The meeting, which was made possible via video conference, was open to the public. It began with a briefing from congressional and legislative leadership discussing the state and federal response to COVID-19, as well as updates from healthcare and economic experts who detailed specific medical concerns and economic impacts Louisiana faces. 

The goal of the task force is to develop policy recommendations for the legislature to jump-start the Louisiana economy in the short-term and lay out a plan for reinvigorating the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speakers who were invited to brief the task force included:

-Sen. Page Cortez, Louisiana President of the Senate

-Rep. Clay Schexnayder, Louisiana Speaker of the House

-David Stokes, U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, Chief of Staff

-Dr. Catherine O’Neal, Assistant Professor of Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center, and Chief Medical Officer, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

-Dr. Loren Scott, Louisiana Economist

The task force plans to present its formal recommendations to legislatures by July 1.