HB 915 sets strict deadlines for Louisiana Medicaid managed care organizations to approve or deny medical service requests. It requires decisions within 5 business days for standard requests (2 days for inpatient care, 72 hours for urgent cases), with clear denial notices including policy references. The bill directly affects healthcare providers and Medicaid managed care organizations by mandating timely reviews and prohibiting claim denials for late decisions. Key provisions include requiring written notice of denials within two business days, allowing limited extensions for additional clinical information, and banning retroactive claim denials after services are provided. This procedural bill focuses on streamlining authorization processes to reduce administrative delays for Medicaid enrollees.
HB 478 requires Louisiana water, gas, and electric utility companies to reimburse customers for overcharges by the next billing cycle. If a customer has disconnected service, the utility must send the reimbursement within 30 days to their recorded address. The bill mandates that all reimbursements be clearly labeled as "overcharge reimbursement." This applies directly to residential and business customers who were overcharged by regulated utilities under the Public Service Commission. The law aims to simplify and speed up the refund process for affected consumers.
HB 861 abolishes inactive boards, commissions, and similar entities in Louisiana that were identified as inactive in a 2025 Legislative Auditor Report. The bill repeals the statutes creating these entities - including the Advisory Commission for Louisiana's Energy, Environment, and Restoration and the Byways Commission - and removes all references to them from state law. This directly affects Louisiana's state government by eliminating redundant legal structures and streamlining operations. The bill does not create new programs but focuses on removing inactive entities to improve government efficiency.
SB 359 sets term limits for commissioners on hospital service districts in Louisiana parishes with populations between 25,001 and 26,000 people (based on the latest federal census). It limits commissioners to two consecutive four-year terms starting after August 1, 2026, when current commissioners' terms expire. Successors must be appointed through the same process used for their predecessors. This directly affects commissioners in those specific hospital districts, changing their eligibility to serve multiple terms. The bill does not alter other aspects of hospital district governance or funding.
HB 609 prohibits healthcare providers and facilities in Louisiana from charging fees for medical records when veterans request them specifically to apply for disability benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs. It applies only once per veteran for the purpose of a disability claim, requiring providers to verify veteran status and the claim's purpose before waiving fees. The law exempts costs for preparing, reproducing, handling, or transmitting records under this specific circumstance. This directly affects veterans seeking disability benefits and healthcare entities handling such record requests.
HB 290 re-creates Louisiana's Department of the Treasury and all statutory entities currently part of it, effective June 30, 2026. The law automatically terminates the department and its entities' statutory authority on July 1, 2031, unless renewed earlier under existing rules. This sunset provision replaces prior legislation and sets a clear 5-year timeline for the department's existence. The bill directly affects the Treasury Department and its affiliated agencies, requiring them to operate under this temporary structure until 2031.
HB 663 modifies the membership structure of the Delta Economic Research and Sustainability District's governing board. It reduces the board size from 26 to 24 members by removing two voting positions: the state representative for House District 19 and the mayor of Tallulah. The bill adds two new voting members: the executive director of LSU's Center for Energy Studies (replacing the removed positions) and retains the secretary of Louisiana Economic Development as a nonvoting ex-officio member. These changes directly affect the district's governance structure and the specific institutions/officials serving on the board. The bill focuses solely on board composition, with no substantive policy changes to the district's operations.
HB 288 requires healthcare providers in Louisiana to include "miscarriage" in parentheses after "spontaneous abortion" in all medical records and billing documentation. This bill directly affects hospitals, clinics, and medical billing entities regulated under Louisiana law. The key provision mandates this terminology change for consistency in clinical records and billing systems, using plain language to clarify the medical term "spontaneous abortion" (referring to early pregnancy loss). The bill is procedural, focusing solely on standardizing medical documentation terminology without altering healthcare services or patient rights.
HB 860 authorizes Louisiana public entities (like cities, parishes, or state agencies) to use fillable electronic bid forms for public construction projects, as long as the digital form includes all the same text and fields as the official Louisiana Uniform Bid Form. It requires that electronic forms must not add any extra requirements beyond what’s in the standard form (such as bid security, license numbers, or project details), and any additional demands would be invalid. The bill specifically allows formatting changes to the electronic form (e.g., digital checkboxes) but prohibits adding new fields for bidders. This directly affects public agencies managing bids and contractors submitting bids for public works projects. The policy simplifies electronic bidding by standardizing digital forms while preventing entities from creating extra barriers.
HB 786 prohibits Louisiana's Medicaid managed care organizations from using "extrapolation" (mathematical estimation of unreviewed claims) when auditing healthcare providers. It requires that any payment adjustments for overpayments or underpayments be based solely on actual reviewed claims, not estimated totals. The bill directly affects healthcare providers receiving Medicaid payments and the private managed care organizations that administer those payments. Violations by managed care organizations can trigger penalties without prior notice, and contractual clauses attempting to waive these rules are void. This policy change ensures audits are based on verified data rather than estimates.
HB 606 modifies Louisiana's highway regulations to clarify rules for personal delivery devices (like automated delivery robots). The bill defines these devices as lightweight, slow-moving (max 20 mph, under 500 lbs), automated vehicles designed for transporting goods in pedestrian or nonpedestrian areas. Key changes include removing the requirement for nighttime lights, allowing operation in pedestrian zones and nonpedestrian areas (up to 20 mph), and requiring devices to yield to pedestrians like bicycles. The bill also states these devices have the same legal rights as pedestrians/bicyclists (where feasible) and gives local governments authority to regulate them for public safety. This directly affects businesses using delivery robots and local authorities managing public spaces.
HB 362 creates a special crime prevention and security district for Regency Park Townhomes residents in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. The district, governed by a five-member board (including association leaders and resident members), will fund security patrols, improved lighting, signage, and beautification through a voter-approved annual parcel fee of up to $300 per property. Property owners within the defined boundaries (bounded by Morrison Road, Downman Road, Seabrook Place, and Countess Lane) will pay this fee, collected like property taxes, with funds restricted solely to district security and maintenance. The district operates as a political subdivision under Louisiana law, requiring voter approval for fee implementation and renewal.
