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2026 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 64
BY SENATOR BOUDREAUX
A RESOLUTION
To express sincere and heartfelt condolences on the passing of former Louisiana Medicaid
Director Josephine Ruth Kennedy.
WHEREAS, it is with profound sorrow that the people of Louisiana have learned of
the passing of Josephine Ruth Kennedy, who departed this life peacefully at her home on
Friday, March 20, 2026, at the age of seventy-one; and
WHEREAS, Josephine Ruth Kennedy, lovingly known by all as Ruth Kennedy, was
born on December 1, 1954, in Independence, Louisiana, and was raised in Springfield on her
family's strawberry farm by her parents, Josephine and Walter Kennedy, in a close-knit
family that instilled in her the values of faith, service, and hard work that would guide her
throughout her life; and
WHEREAS, she graduated from Springfield High School in 1972, attended Oregon
Bible College from 1972 to 1974, and continued her education at Southeastern Louisiana
University from 1975 to 1979, preparing herself for a life of service to others; and
WHEREAS, Ruth Kennedy was a lifelong and devoted member of Blood River
Church of God, where she faithfully shared her faith, taught others, and demonstrated
compassion and generosity through her service to her church and community, touching
countless lives through her kindness and encouragement; and
WHEREAS, she built an honorable and distinguished career spanning more than
forty years in public service with the Louisiana Department of Health, dedicating herself to
ensuring that families across Louisiana had access to essential health services and
opportunities for care; and
WHEREAS, through her leadership, innovation, and determination, she helped lead
major initiatives to expand health coverage and improve care delivery across the state,
including the implementation and expansion of the Louisiana Children's Health Insurance
Program (LaCHIP) and the development of Bayou Health, and was known for personally
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SR NO. 64 ENROLLED
traveling throughout the state to assist families in obtaining health coverage; and
WHEREAS, Ruth Kennedy was promoted to serve as Louisiana Medicaid Director,
where she oversaw a program that supported more than one million Louisianans and guided
efforts to expand coverage to an additional four hundred thousand working adults who
otherwise had limited access to health care; and
WHEREAS, her tireless dedication and expertise earned her widespread respect from
colleagues, policymakers, and healthcare providers across Louisiana and throughout the
nation, and in recognition of her exemplary service to the citizens of Louisiana, she was
honored with the prestigious "Dunbar Award" in 2015, the highest honor bestowed upon
classified state employees; and
WHEREAS, after retiring from state government in 2017, Ruth Kennedy continued
her work to improve health care access and policy by joining Southern Strategy Group,
where she assisted providers and pharmacies, helped streamline eligibility verification
programs, supported hospital systems, and worked to expand opportunities for care and
professional training for pharmacy technicians across the state and beyond; and
WHEREAS, throughout her life, Ruth Kennedy was known as a pioneer who was
fearless, resourceful, and deeply compassionate, guided by her unwavering faith and
commitment to helping individuals and families who otherwise would have gone without
needed care; and
WHEREAS, Ruth Kennedy is survived by her sisters, Betty Gay Rena and Regina
McCord; her brother, Joseph Kennedy and his wife, Sharon; her sister-in-law, Loretta
Kennedy; her special cousin, Sharon Irby Derbins; her special niece, Kay Kinchen; and
many loving nieces and nephews; and
WHEREAS, she was preceded in death by her parents, Josephine and Walter
Kennedy; her siblings, Juanita Kennedy Kinchen and Curtis Kennedy; and her
brothers-in-law, Willie Kinchen and Woody Rena; and
WHEREAS, Ruth Kennedy will be remembered for her unwavering faith, her
servant's heart, and her lifelong dedication to improving the lives of others, and her legacy
of compassion, leadership, and public service will continue to inspire generations of
Louisianans.
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby express its sincere and heartfelt condolences on the passing of former Louisiana
Medicaid Director Josephine Ruth Kennedy and does hereby recognize and honor her
remarkable career of public service and her enduring contributions to the health and welfare
of the people of Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
family of Josephine Ruth Kennedy and to the Louisiana Department of Health as an
expression of the Senate's deepest sympathy and respect.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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