Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 9, 2026

HB 1223: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Establishes the Louisiana Clinical Trial Competitiveness and Patient Access Act

This bill, titled the Louisiana Clinical Trial Competitiveness and Patient Access Act, aims to support economic development by establishing a framework for clinical trials within the state. It directly affects healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and patients by creating new provisions to enhance the competitiveness of clinical research in Louisiana. The legislation includes specific amendments that clarify the law does not override federal restrictions and expands the scope of protected protocols to include nonpublic ones. By adding these details, the bill seeks to provide clearer guidelines for conducting clinical trials while ensuring compliance with existing federal regulations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes a framework to enhance clinical trial competitiveness and patient access, directly supporting healthcare research and services.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · Senate Jun 9, 2026

SB 405: NURSING HOMES: Provides for a statewide quality oversight initiative for nursing facilities. (8/1/26) (EN GF EX See Note)

This bill, known as the Nursing Home Choice Act, requires Louisiana to provide counseling and alternative options to residents and families of nursing homes that receive the lowest one-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. When a facility is rated one star, staff must offer immediate access to community-based services or transfer residents to a higher-rated nursing home, and potential residents must be notified before placement to explore alternatives. The law also mandates that one-star facilities submit a remediation plan with specific improvement targets within 30 days, provide quarterly progress reports, and face additional monitoring and potential sanctions if they fail to improve their rating within two years. These requirements apply to all nursing homes with a one-star rating on October 1, 2026, and remain in effect until the facility achieves a rating of two stars or higher.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves patient access to quality care by requiring alternatives for low-rated nursing homes and protecting resident rights.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 9, 2026

HB 1139: MENTAL HEALTH: Requires certain behavioral health services for patients receiving treatment pursuant to an emergency certificate

This bill requires healthcare facilities in Louisiana to provide specific behavioral health services to patients admitted under emergency certificates. Upon admission, facilities must conduct a behavioral health evaluation within 72 hours and contact the patient's primary healthcare provider to review treatment history. At discharge, staff must notify healthcare professionals about the patient's release, provide a medical summary to follow-up providers, distribute educational materials about warning signs and privacy rights, and ensure patients receive at least a 14-day medication supply. The law also mandates that the Louisiana Department of Health create and publish these educational documents for patients and their families.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates behavioral health evaluations and provider communication for emergency mental health patients, strengthening mental health services and patient care continuity.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 9, 2026

HB 211: COURTS: Provides relative to the creation, administration, and eligibility requirements of the Homelessness Court program (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

HB 211 creates Louisiana's "Homelessness Court Program," establishing specialized court divisions to address homelessness through treatment and support instead of incarceration. It directly affects individuals experiencing homelessness charged with misdemeanors or felonies related to public camping or survival needs, requiring courts to screen eligible defendants for the program. Key provisions include mandatory substance abuse and mental health treatment, housing/job assistance partnerships, and a new criminal penalty for "unauthorized camping on public property" (with exceptions for shelter access). The program aims to reduce recidivism, court workloads, and prison overcrowding by integrating health care, housing, and rehabilitation services under judicial supervision.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates Homelessness Court to divert non-violent homeless defendants from incarceration to treatment, reducing recidivism and promoting rehabilitation through mandated support services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates mental health treatment for homeless defendants, directly advancing mental health services within the court program's requirements95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill creates Homelessness Court Program with mandatory housing/job assistance partnerships for homeless individuals charged with survival-related offenses, directly addressing homelessness through housing support rather than incarceration.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 9, 2026

HB 944: HEALTH SERVICES: Creates the Louisiana Women's Health Consortium (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

HB 944 creates the Louisiana Women's Health Consortium within the Louisiana Department of Health to address women's health needs across the state. The consortium will include 15 voting members representing health institutions (like Tulane School of Medicine and Woman's Hospital), government agencies (such as the surgeon general's office), and community stakeholders, plus nonvoting members from additional health organizations. Its core duties include developing a state funding plan for women's health initiatives, creating a comprehensive Women's Health Agenda focusing on issues like perimenopause and menopause, and identifying systemic barriers to care. The consortium must hold quarterly public meetings, submit an annual report to the legislature, and coordinate an online resource hub for evidence-based women's health information.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates Louisiana Women's Health Consortium to develop state funding plan for women's health services, directly advancing healthcare access and funding within public health programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 9, 2026

HB 302: TOBACCO/TOBACCO PRODUCTS: Prohibits the sale of vapor products near schools

HB 302 prohibits new permits for businesses to sell vapor products within 300 feet of school property lines. It directly affects businesses seeking to open or operate vapor product sales near schools, requiring them to be at least 300 feet away. The bill specifies measurement can be either by sidewalk path (in areas with sidewalks) or straight line, with the straight-line method applying only to new permits issued after its adoption. This policy change restricts where new vapor product businesses can operate near schools but does not affect existing businesses.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits vapor sales near schools to protect youth health, aligning with public health initiatives to reduce nicotine access and prevent youth vaping-related health risks.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 8, 2026

HB 971: MEDICAID: Provides relative to Medicaid reimbursement for rural health clinics (EN +$2,655,159 GF EX See Note)

This bill requires the Louisiana Department of Health to equalize Medicaid reimbursement rates between independent rural health clinics and provider-based rural health clinics. It mandates that independent clinics receive the same payment rates as provider-based clinics to ensure fair compensation for services provided in rural areas. The Department of Health must prepare necessary state plan amendments or adopt rules to implement this change, with implementation required by October 1, 2026. This policy directly affects rural health clinics in Louisiana that participate in the Medicaid program.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill equalizes Medicaid reimbursement rates for rural health clinics, improving fair compensation and access to healthcare services in rural areas.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 8, 2026

HB 1076: HEALTH/BEHAVIORAL: Repeals the termination of the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board

This bill removes the legal provision that set a termination date for the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board, allowing the regulatory body to continue operating. By repealing the specific statute that established the board's expiration, the legislation ensures the board remains active for overseeing behavior analysts in the state. The change directly affects the board's ability to regulate professionals and maintain oversight without a fixed end date. No new powers or requirements are added; the bill simply eliminates the existing deadline for the board's existence.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill preserves regulatory oversight for behavior analysts, protecting mental health service quality and professional standards.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 8, 2026

HB 591: INSURANCE: Creates the Paid Family Leave Insurance Act

HB 591 proposes creating a new "Paid Family Leave Insurance Act" in Louisiana, allowing insurers to offer voluntary wage replacement coverage for employees taking time off for specific family reasons. The bill would enable employers or employees to purchase insurance policies covering up to 12 weeks of paid leave annually for qualifying events like a new child’s birth/adoption, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or addressing military-related exigencies. Key provisions require policies to specify minimum benefit amounts (at least two weeks of coverage within 52 weeks), define eligibility, and detail how benefits are calculated based on wages. This legislation, currently pending in the Louisiana legislature, would establish a state-regulated insurance framework but does not mandate employer coverage or create a state-run program.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates insurance coverage for leave to care for family members with serious health conditions, expanding access to healthcare support services.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates framework for voluntary paid family leave insurance, expanding worker benefits for family care events (birth, adoption, family health care). Directly strengthens employment standards and workers' rights through wage replacement coverage.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 8, 2026

HB 761: HEALTH/CANCER: Provides with respect to the advisory board created to recommend new treatments for rare cancers (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

HB 761 creates an advisory board within Louisiana's Department of Health to review and recommend new treatments for rare cancers. The 17-member board includes health officials, cancer researchers, oncologists from major institutions (like LSU, Tulane, and Xavier), and representatives from cancer research centers. The board must hold quarterly public meetings, compile findings within 30-45 days, and submit written reports to the Insurance Committees of both legislative chambers. This process directly affects how the Department of Health evaluates rare cancer treatments, streamlining recommendations to the agency for potential adoption.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates advisory board to review/recommend rare cancer treatments, improving patient access to new therapies through structured legislative reporting.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare