SB 162 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

WORKERS' COMPENSATION: Provides relative to the workers' compensation medical treatment schedule. (8/1/26)

SB 162 modifies Louisiana's workers' compensation system by changing how disputes over medical treatment decisions are handled. It allows any party disagreeing with a medical director's decision to appeal within 45 days using LWC Form 1008. To overturn a decision, the appealing party must present "clear and convincing evidence" showing the decision violated the law, and only evidence previously reviewed by the medical director can be used in the appeal. This directly affects workers and employers in Louisiana workers' compensation cases involving medical treatment disputes. The bill focuses on streamlining the appeals process for medical treatment decisions under the existing workers' compensation framework.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 25, 2026 Signed May 11, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB162 Original → SB162 Act 95 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill modifies the appeal process for workers' compensation medical decisions. It requires the medical director to compile and forward the full record of evidence to the hearing office within 15 days of an appeal, ensuring judges decide cases based on that original record unless new evidence is introduced. This change aims to streamline appeals by preventing the introduction of new evidence at the hearing stage, which would otherwise require sending the case back to the medical director for a new decision.

Scope change

The bill applies to all appeals regarding workers' compensation medical treatment decisions filed with the medical director or associate medical director.

REQUIREMENT

Replaced the previous standard where any evidence supporting or opposing a disputed claim was admissible with a new rule limiting admissible evidence strictly to what was reviewed by the medical director.

TIMELINE

Added a requirement for the medical director to notify the district hearing office within ten days of filing an appeal and to forward the complete record within fifteen days.

Established a thirty-day deadline for the medical director to render a new decision if a case is remanded due to the introduction of additional evidence at a hearing.

ENFORCEMENT

Specified that if the medical director fails to act within the thirty-day remand period, the judge must decide the appeal based on the entire existing record.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 30, 2026 · House Apr 23, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 40

Mar 30, 2026

D Democratic12

12 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican28

27 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Amendments proposed by the House read and concurred in by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays.

upper

Apr 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 92, nays 1. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (10-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

Apr 1, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations.

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors