Addresses the issue of limited access to obstetric care in Louisiana, particularly in rural areas. The bill highlights that nearly one-third of Louisiana's parishes lack maternity care providers or facilities, leading to increased maternal and infant mortality rates. To combat this, the bill mandates the Louisiana Department of Health to ensure that obstetric services are available throughout the state, with no more than 30 miles between providers. It also requires the department to utilize Medicaid funds to support hospitals in offering obstetric services, either on-site or through satellite clinics. The bill is set to become effective upon the governor's signature or upon the lapse of time for gubernatorial action.

NANNY STATE

Adds food allergen awareness training and signage requirements for food service establishments in Louisiana.

Key Provisions: 

- Requires allergen training as part of the food safety certification for food service owners or designated employees. 

- Training must cover allergen risks, symptoms, major allergens, prevention, and emergency response. 

- Allergen training is required at the time of food safety certificate renewal starting January 1, 2026. 

- Requires the Louisiana Department of Health to create a food allergen awareness poster. 

- Food establishments must display the poster in a location visible to employees once notified of its availability. 

- Effective August 1, 2025.

HOUSE floor amendments 5&6 [LINK] change definitions of lessor and lessee entities. Other amendments technical.

HOUSE committee amendments technical

Seeks to establish the "Hospital Lease Accountability Act" within Louisiana law. The primary aim of this legislation is to ensure that executive officers and board members of entities leasing healthcare facilities cannot misuse corporate protections to evade personal liability for misconduct that leads to financial distress in these facilities.

Key provisions of the bill include:

·       Personal Liability: Courts may hold executive officers and board members personally liable if their egregious actions cause or significantly contribute to a lessee healthcare facility's financial distress.

·       Definition of Financial Distress: The bill outlines specific scenarios constituting financial distress, such as facility closure or significant service reductions, failure to pay employees for 30 consecutive days, or filing for bankruptcy.

·       Obligations of Lessor Entities: In events of financial distress, lessor entities are required to:

1.    Provide sufficient funds to maintain the facility's operations for 12 months.

2.    Reimburse the state for any expenditures made to keep the facility operational.

3.    Disclose detailed financial records of transactions with the lessee facility over the preceding five years.

·       Penalties: Board members and executive officers of lessor entities may face personal liability, including repayment of funds extracted from the lessee facility and civil penalties up to $250,000 per individual for knowingly engaging in or approving detrimental financial arrangements.

The bill's overarching goal is to promote accountability and transparency in the governance of essential healthcare service providers in Louisiana, thereby safeguarding the state's healthcare infrastructure.

COMMITTEE amendments [LINK] define “affiliate” broadly to include entities with shared ownership, control, or influence. The bill applies only going forward. Existing facilities operating without consent before the effective date are exempt. Impacted districts can open the same number of facilities in the other district’s territory in response.

Prohibits hospital service districts or their affiliates from establishing or operating healthcare facilities outside their district boundaries without consent from the affected district.

Key Provisions: 

- Defines "affiliate" broadly to include entities with ownership, control, or shared relationships. 

- Requires written consent from a hospital service district before another district or affiliate can operate a healthcare facility within its boundaries. 

- Consent is also required for expansions or new services requiring additional permits. 

- Exempts cases where no hospital service district exists or when districts have a cooperative agreement. 

- Requires detailed written notice 120 days in advance of establishing a facility, including operational details, staffing, services, financial plans, and prior collaboration efforts. 

- Prohibits applications for permits or licenses before the notice period ends and before consent is obtained. 

- Applications must include certified resolutions from both the proposing and affected districts to be valid. 

- Allows a private right of action to enforce the law. 

HOUSE floor amendment set 3050 [LINK]

• Clarifies who can give consent for a minor's healthcare, explicitly listing domiciliary parents, tutors, legal guardians, or persons with legal authority.
• Changes the relevant age from "eighteen" to "seventeen."
• Adds conditions allowing healthcare providers to act without parental consent if:
• The minor shows signs of abuse or neglect.
• The minor voluntarily chooses admission to a treatment facility under specified provisions of the Children's Code.

HOUSE floor bureau amendment technical

HOUSE floor amendment set 3020 technical

HOUSE committee amendments [LINK] require parental consent for minors to receive most medical and mental health services, with specified exceptions (e.g., emancipated minors, pregnancy-related care, substance abuse treatment, sexually transmitted diseases, abuse or neglect situations). They clarify definitions of abuse and neglect, ensure parental access to minors' medical records upon request, and provide legal protection from civil or criminal liability (except negligence) for hospitals and healthcare providers delivering permitted treatments. The amendments also repeal provisions allowing schools or facilities to provide preventive counseling or treatment to minors without parental consent.

Establishes requirements for parental consent for medical procedures and treatments involving minors in Louisiana.

Key Changes:

·       Requires informed written consent from a parent, tutor, or legal guardian for all medical and mental health services for minors until age 18.

·       Provides exceptions for:

o  Minors seeking an abortion (separately governed by Louisiana law).

o  Emancipated minors, members of the armed forces, or minors receiving care related to pregnancy (excluding abortion).

·       Parents are allowed access to their minor child’s medical records.

·       Removes minors' ability to consent to treatments for drug abuse, blood donation, and preventive counseling without parental consent.

·       Medical providers are protected from civil or criminal liability for actions permitted under this law, except in cases of negligence.

·       Emergency situations still allow for implied consent.