HEALTH/EMERG MED SERVICE: Authorizes psychologists and medical psychologists to evaluate a patient via telehealth for emergency certificates
HB 137 expands telehealth access for emergency mental health evaluations in Louisiana by authorizing psychologists and medical psychologists to issue emergency certificates after a video conference exam. The bill requires a licensed healthcare professional to be physically present with the patient during the telehealth session to assist with necessary assessments. It directly affects patients needing immediate mental health or substance use disorder care who qualify as dangerous to self/others or gravely disabled. The law ensures patients receive medical clearance before admission to a treatment facility, maintaining safety standards while broadening provider eligibility for telehealth evaluations.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
Jun 2025
Signed into Law
Jun 2025
Introduced Mar 26, 2025
Signed Jun 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
HB137 Original
→
HB137 Act
·
2 edits
MINOR
This bill updates the legal framework for emergency mental health certificates in Louisiana to explicitly include psychologists and medical psychologists as providers authorized to conduct telehealth examinations. Previously, only physicians, nurse practitioners, and psychiatrists could perform these remote evaluations; this change expands access to emergency care by allowing more mental health professionals to utilize video conferencing technology under specific conditions.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of eligible providers from a limited list of physicians and nurse practitioners to include psychologists and medical psychologists, thereby broadening the pool of professionals who can execute emergency certificates via telehealth.
ELIGIBILITY
Added psychologists and medical psychologists to the list of licensed professionals authorized to evaluate patients for emergency certificates via telehealth.
REQUIREMENT
Modified the statutory language to clarify that the actual examination for emergency certificates may be conducted by telehealth utilizing video conferencing technology by the newly included professionals, provided a licensed healthcare professional assists in the room with the patient.
Floor votes · Senate Jun 2, 2025 · House May 13, 2025
How they voted
36–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 37
Jun 2, 2025
D
Democratic11
90% Yea
R
Republican26
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
20
Key actions
4
Committee
5
Jun 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
May 29, 2025
Committee
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
May 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
May 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 99, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
May 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably (11-0).
lower
Apr 14, 2025
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
lower
Mar 26, 2025
Committee
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Josh Carlson
RRepublican
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