HB 145: FUNDS/FUNDING: Provides for the payment of extraordinary medical and dental expenses of firemen and law enforcement officers (EN +$25,000 GF EX See Note) - Louisiana

HB145 Original → HB145 Act 621 · 5 edits

MODERATE

HB 145 was converted from a regular bill into an enrolled act (Act No. 621), finalizing its passage. The substantive policy content remains largely consistent, establishing a state fund to cover extraordinary medical and dental expenses for injured firemen and law enforcement officers. Key provisions include a maximum benefit cap of $25,000 per injury and eligibility requirements that exclude injuries caused by intentional misconduct, voluntary intoxication, or gross negligence.

Scope change

The bill's scope is now codified as law (Act No. 621) rather than a proposed draft, making it legally effective. The applicability date for covered injuries is set to January 1, 2023, with the act itself becoming effective on July 1, 2026.

TECHNICAL

The document format changed from a draft bill to an enrolled act, including signatures from the Governor and legislative leaders, indicating final approval.

TIMELINE

The act specifies that it becomes effective on July 1, 2026, while benefits apply to injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2023.

FISCAL

The maximum benefit payable per injury is set at $25,000, covering expenses not covered by workers' compensation or employer health insurance.

ELIGIBILITY

Benefits are explicitly denied if the injury resulted from intentional misconduct, the officer's intention to self-harm, voluntary intoxication, or gross negligence.

REQUIREMENT

The Law Enforcement Officers and Firemen's Survivor Benefit Review Board is tasked with reviewing claims within 60 days and notifying the state risk director of approved benefits.

HB145 Enrolled → HB145 Original · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered from an enrolled version to an original draft, and the most significant substantive change is the increase in the maximum benefit payment for medical and dental expenses from $25,000 to $50,000 per injury. The effective date and eligibility criteria remain unchanged.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding who is covered and when the law applies has not changed; only the funding limit was increased.

FISCAL

The maximum benefit payable per officer for extraordinary medical and dental expenses was increased from twenty-five thousand dollars to fifty thousand dollars.

TECHNICAL

The document header was updated to reflect the bill as an 'Original' draft with a new tracking number, and the status changed from 'Enrolled' to 'Original'.

HB145 Reengrossed → HB145 Enrolled · 3 edits · May 31, 2026

MINOR

The bill was finalized as an enrolled act, changing its status from a draft to a law ready for signature. The substantive policy content remains focused on funding extraordinary medical and dental expenses for injured firefighters and law enforcement officers, with no changes to eligibility criteria, benefit limits, or effective dates.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; it continues to apply to extraordinary medical and dental expenses incurred on or after January 1, 2023.

TECHNICAL

The document status was updated from 'REENGROSSED' to 'ENROLLED', indicating the bill has passed all legislative stages and is now in its final form for executive action.

Signatures and approval lines for the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, and Governor were added to the final page.

Drafting headers and internal tracking codes (e.g., HLS 26RS-125) were removed to produce the clean final version.

HB145 Engrossed → HB145 Reengrossed · 3 edits · May 25, 2026

MINOR

This bill reengrossed version primarily updates the formatting and numbering of the statute while adding a new line to clarify that the 'Officer' definition includes firemen and law enforcement officers. It also shifts the effective date for extraordinary medical and dental expense benefits from January 1, 2023, to January 1, 2026, aligning the law with the upcoming legislative session.

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains focused on providing extraordinary medical and dental expense benefits to injured firemen and law enforcement officers, but the effective date of coverage is extended by three years.

TIMELINE

The effective date for benefits was changed from January 1, 2023, to January 1, 2026, delaying when the new coverage rules apply.

DEFINITION

A new line was added to explicitly state that the term 'Officer' includes both firemen and law enforcement officers as defined elsewhere in the statute.

TECHNICAL

The document title was updated from 'ENGROSSED' to 'REENGROSSED' to reflect the legislative status, and line numbering was adjusted to accommodate the new content.

FUNDS/FUNDING: Provides for the payment of extraordinary medical and dental expenses of firemen and law enforcement officers (EN +$25,000 GF EX See Note)

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