SB 451: HEALTH CARE: Provides relative to newborn hearing screening. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE See Note) - Louisiana

Senate Floor Bureau Note, #2378, Kleinpeter, Adopted → SB451 Act 517 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the Louisiana Newborn Hearing Screening Law to modernize terminology (e.g., changing 'bilingual-bimodal' to 'bimodal bilingualism') and expand the definition of 'early intervention' to explicitly include non-medical services and family support. It also strengthens the legal framework by adding a specific 'Bill of Rights' for deaf and hard-of-hearing children, ensuring they have access to adult role models and community involvement in program planning.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include a broader definition of early intervention services and added specific rights for children with hearing loss, moving beyond just screening to ensure comprehensive support and community integration.

DEFINITION

Updated the term 'bilingual-bimodal' to 'bimodal bilingualism' to reflect current linguistic standards.

Clarified the distinction between 'deaf' (medical condition) and 'Deaf' (cultural identity) in the definitions section.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new 'Bill of Rights' section guaranteeing deaf and hard-of-hearing children the right to adult role models and involvement in program decisions.

Expanded the definition of 'early intervention' to explicitly require non-medical services and family support, ensuring a more holistic approach to care.

SB451 Original → Senate Floor Bureau Note, #2378, Kleinpeter, Adopted · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to modernize terminology regarding deafness and hearing loss, clarify legal citations, and fix minor grammatical errors throughout the text. These changes ensure the law uses inclusive language (e.g., 'd/Deaf') and aligns with current medical and legal standards without altering the core requirements for newborn hearing screening.

DEFINITION

Updated specific terms to use inclusive language such as 'd/Deaf' and changed 'bilingual-bimodal' to 'bimodal bilingualism'.

Corrected a grammatical error in the definitions section by adding the article 'a' after 'including'.

Adjusted a medical condition description by changing 'of Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy' to 'or hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy'.

Fixed punctuation in a list of ear conditions by adding a comma between 'microtia' and 'atresia'.

TECHNICAL

Corrected various minor grammatical errors, such as changing 'and' to 'or' in several contexts and fixing a duplicate word in the effective date section.

SB451 Enrolled → SB451 Original · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered from an enrolled version to an original draft, and the text was significantly cleaned up to fix numerous grammatical errors, awkward phrasings, and formatting inconsistencies found in the previous version. These changes improve the clarity and readability of the legislation without altering its underlying legal requirements or policy goals.

TECHNICAL

Removed redundant and confusing text, such as duplicate headers and inconsistent page numbering, to standardize the document format.

Corrected grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures throughout the Purpose and Definitions sections to ensure the law is written clearly and professionally.

Fixed inconsistent capitalization and punctuation in definitions and legal citations to align with standard legislative drafting practices.

SB451 Reengrossed → SB451 Enrolled · 5 edits · May 25, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as an enrolled version, adding a Representative as a co-sponsor and updating the page count from 16 to 14. Substantively, the text was reorganized to include a new 'Bill of Rights' section for deaf and hard-of-hearing children, expanded the list of federal laws referenced in the purpose statement, and updated the definition of 'early intervention' to include specific family support requirements.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include a 'Bill of Rights' for deaf and hard-of-hearing children and to reference additional federal legislation regarding early hearing detection.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new section establishing a 'Bill of Rights' for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, ensuring they have the same potential for independence as other children.

Added a requirement that deaf and hard-of-hearing adults be directly involved in determining the content and purpose of programs affecting their education.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'early intervention' to explicitly include providing comprehensive information and ensuring families can consider all appropriate services and educational options.

Expanded the list of referenced federal laws in the purpose section to include the EHDI Act of 2022 and the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986.

TECHNICAL

Changed the document status from 'Reengrossed' to 'Enrolled' and updated the sponsor list to include a Representative.

SB451 Engrossed → SB451 Reengrossed · 1 edit · May 19, 2026

MINOR

The document shows a re-engrossment of SB 451, which is a procedural update indicating the bill has been passed again by the legislature. The text changes are limited to formatting headers and page numbering, with no substantive policy, funding, or eligibility modifications.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill header from 'ENGROSSED' to 'REENGROSSED' to reflect its new legislative status.

HEALTH CARE: Provides relative to newborn hearing screening. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE See Note)

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