Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate Jun 1, 2026

SB 145: HEALTH SERVICES: Provides relative to adult residential care providers. (gov sig)

SB 145 requires all licensed adult residential care facilities in Louisiana to install and maintain a backup generator or approved alternative power source. This system must provide continuous electricity for critical functions during outages, including life safety systems, medical equipment, water/sanitation systems, medication storage, and specific HVAC requirements (50% for pre-2026 facilities, 90% for post-2026 facilities). Facilities must have fuel for 72 hours of continuous operation, with fuel delivery agreements extending to 168 hours, and must submit annual emergency plans if granted a waiver for space constraints. The law applies directly to all licensed adult residential care providers in Louisiana, with compliance required by December 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires backup power for medical equipment, life safety, and medication storage in care facilities, ensuring continuity of healthcare services during outages.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 1, 2026

HB 626: COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES: Provides relative to suicide prevention plans at colleges and universities

HB 626 requires Louisiana's public colleges and universities to post suicide hotline numbers (including 988) on their websites and on student ID cards. It mandates that institutions provide all new students with information about mental health services and suicide warning signs through interactive formats (like online modules), and ensure 24/7 access to trained mental health professionals via campus or remote support. The bill also requires institutions to collect and report anonymous, aggregated data on suicide risk assessments - including demographics and referrals - to mental health services. These provisions directly affect all public postsecondary institutions in Louisiana, aiming to improve student mental health resources and data tracking.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires suicide hotlines, mental health resources, and 24/7 access on campuses, directly expanding student access to mental health services per bill requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 427: DONATIONS: Provides for procedures and methods to execute gifts under the Anatomical Gift Act. (1/1/27)

This bill updates Louisiana's Anatomical Gift Act to clarify procedures and methods for making, amending, or revoking donations of human body parts for transplantation, therapy, research, or education. It directly affects donors, their agents, healthcare providers, and organizations involved in organ recovery by establishing standardized definitions and requirements for consent and authorization. Key provisions include formalizing how anatomical gifts can be recorded on driver's licenses and other identification documents, defining roles for witnesses and agents, and specifying rules for donation after brain death or circulatory death. The legislation also creates a state registry to track anatomical gift decisions and ensures consistency in how these gifts are executed and documented.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill clarifies anatomical gift procedures, improving organ donation processes and supporting healthcare access for transplants.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 409: EMPLOYMENT: Provides protections for employees who become living organ donors. (8/1/26) (EN INCREASE GF EX See Note)

This bill, SB 409, aims to protect employees who donate organs by preventing employers from discriminating against them or retaliating after the donation. It directly affects workers who become living organ donors and their employers. The legislation establishes specific protections to ensure these employees do not face adverse employment actions related to their donation. By amending the bill text, it clarifies the structure of these protections within the existing labor framework. The measure focuses on creating a clear legal safeguard for organ donors in the workplace without predicting specific outcomes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects employees who donate organs from employer discrimination, supporting patient rights and encouraging organ donation within healthcare context.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill protects employees who donate organs from employer discrimination and retaliation, strengthening worker rights and employment protections.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House May 29, 2026

HB 193: HEALTH/SICKLE CELL ANEM: Provides for the membership of the Louisiana Sickle Cell Commission

HB 193 restructures the membership of Louisiana's Sickle Cell Commission by specifying who serves on it. The bill requires the governor to appoint 13 members (with Senate confirmation), including key health officials like the Louisiana Department of Health secretary and Medicaid director, plus executive directors from seven regional sickle cell associations across the state. It repeals previous membership provisions that listed additional, less-specific roles. This is a procedural change affecting only the commission's composition, not sickle cell treatment or funding.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestructures sickle cell commission with health officials to improve oversight of sickle cell care, a public health program.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 169: GENETICS: Provides relative to biomarker testing. (gov sig) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 169 requires health insurance plans in Louisiana to cover biomarker testing for patients needing personalized medical treatment, such as cancer care guided by genetic markers. It defines "clinical utility" through specific criteria to ensure tests are covered without unnecessary hurdles. The law prevents insurers from denying coverage based on laboratory classifications or unrelated credentialing, ensuring the test itself - not the lab - is the focus of coverage. This directly affects patients seeking biomarker tests and insurers, reducing the need for repeated biopsies by mandating seamless coverage.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for biomarker testing in personalized cancer care, expanding patient access and preventing coverage denials based on lab classification.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 181: CHARITABLE GAMING: Provides an exemption for nonprofit healthcare organizations to hold and operate a license for conducting certain raffles. (8/1/26)

SB 181 exempts nonprofit healthcare organizations in Louisiana from needing a state license to hold charitable games of chance (like raffles or bingo). Instead, these organizations must annually notify the Office of Charitable Gaming of their participation. The bill defines "nonprofit healthcare organization" broadly to include healthcare providers, their parent organizations, affiliates, and foundations that are tax-exempt and licensed in Louisiana. This change directly affects eligible healthcare groups, allowing them to operate games without a license while maintaining reporting requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts healthcare nonprofits from licensing for charitable gaming, enabling easier fundraising to support healthcare services and operations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 222: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Provides for Medicaid behavioral health services. (gov sig) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 222 streamlines Medicaid behavioral health services in Louisiana by removing unnecessary administrative barriers for providers. It prohibits requiring pre-employment reference letters (§302), eliminates most CPR/first aid certification demands for staff (§303), aligns documentation timelines with federal standards (§305), and allows physician assistants with specific experience to serve as medical directors (§307). The bill also requires the state to seek federal approval for telehealth reimbursement of psychosocial services by July 2026 (§308). These changes directly affect Medicaid behavioral health providers, aiming to reduce duplication and expand workforce flexibility while maintaining care quality.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves administrative barriers for Medicaid behavioral health providers, improving access to mental health services and aligning with federal standards.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House May 29, 2026

HB 915: MEDICAID: Provides with respect to utilization management practices (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX See Note)

HB 915 sets strict deadlines for Louisiana Medicaid managed care organizations to approve or deny medical service requests. It requires decisions within 5 business days for standard requests (2 days for inpatient care, 72 hours for urgent cases), with clear denial notices including policy references. The bill directly affects healthcare providers and Medicaid managed care organizations by mandating timely reviews and prohibiting claim denials for late decisions. Key provisions include requiring written notice of denials within two business days, allowing limited extensions for additional clinical information, and banning retroactive claim denials after services are provided. This procedural bill focuses on streamlining authorization processes to reduce administrative delays for Medicaid enrollees.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates strict deadlines for Medicaid service approvals, improving patient access and preventing denials due to administrative delays.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House May 29, 2026

HB 609: HEALTH CARE/RECORDS: Provides for the exemption of fees for health records when requested for the federal and state veterans affairs departments

HB 609 prohibits healthcare providers and facilities in Louisiana from charging fees for medical records when veterans request them specifically to apply for disability benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs. It applies only once per veteran for the purpose of a disability claim, requiring providers to verify veteran status and the claim's purpose before waiving fees. The law exempts costs for preparing, reproducing, handling, or transmitting records under this specific circumstance. This directly affects veterans seeking disability benefits and healthcare entities handling such record requests.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves fees for veterans' medical records needed for disability claims, improving access to healthcare services and supporting veterans' healthcare access.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves fees for veterans' medical records needed for disability claims, facilitating access to employment-related benefits and reducing barriers for veterans seeking workplace support.85% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransProhibits fees for veterans' health records when applying for VA disability benefits, removing financial barriers to access healthcare services and benefits.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare