HB 572 creates Louisiana's Resilient Youth and Trauma-Informed Schools Grant Pilot Program to support public schools with 60% or more students eligible for free/reduced lunch. The program provides grants for schools to hire counselors/social workers, train staff in trauma-informed practices, implement social-emotional learning curricula, and establish community mentorship networks. Participating schools must collaborate with Louisiana universities to track attendance, discipline, and mental health outcomes, reporting annually to the Department of Education. The program requires legislative funding and will generate annual reports for the legislature on results and recommendations. This pilot aims to improve student well-being through evidence-based school-based support services.
HB 352 requires Louisiana public school districts to create and publish policies enabling behavioral health services for students during school hours. It allows services in classrooms during instructional time (including core subjects) if parents provide a provider-approved evaluation and treatment plan showing medical necessity, with in-person supervision by certified behavior analysts required. The bill defines key terms like "medically necessary services" and mandates that schools collaborate with providers to schedule services without disrupting school operations or testing. It directly affects public school students needing behavioral health support, their parents, school administrators, and behavioral health providers.
SB 145 requires all licensed adult residential care facilities in Louisiana to install and maintain a backup generator or approved alternative power source. This system must provide continuous electricity for critical functions during outages, including life safety systems, medical equipment, water/sanitation systems, medication storage, and specific HVAC requirements (50% for pre-2026 facilities, 90% for post-2026 facilities). Facilities must have fuel for 72 hours of continuous operation, with fuel delivery agreements extending to 168 hours, and must submit annual emergency plans if granted a waiver for space constraints. The law applies directly to all licensed adult residential care providers in Louisiana, with compliance required by December 1, 2027.
HB 684 creates a pre-arrest diversion program for Louisiana juveniles (under 18) charged with their first nonviolent misdemeanor offense. Instead of arresting them, police must offer a civil citation allowing access to mental health services, victim restitution, or family support programs within 90 days. The program prohibits fines, fees, or criminal records for participants and requires law enforcement to report annual data on juvenile stops, program completion, and recidivism. It applies only to non-dangerous situations without weapons or immediate threats. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, with implementation rules due by December 2026.
SB 36, a Louisiana bill, prohibits using food as a delivery method for mRNA vaccines and mandates detailed informed consent for all vaccinations. It requires healthcare providers to give patients specific written information about the vaccine's purpose, technology, benefits, and risks before administration. The bill also restricts when consent can be obtained, banning it within 48 hours of anesthesia, 12 hours after childbirth, or 24 hours after narcotic medication. These provisions directly affect healthcare providers and patients receiving vaccines in Louisiana.
HB 184 exempts charitable pharmacies from certain outpatient prescription fees that apply to other pharmacies under Louisiana's Medicaid program. Specifically, it removes the requirement for charitable pharmacies - defined as organizations providing free prescriptions to screened, qualified patients - to pay fees imposed on other pharmacies. The bill amends Louisiana law to clarify that these exempt pharmacies are excluded from fee structures outlined in existing Medicaid regulations. This change directly affects charitable organizations operating pharmacies and reduces administrative costs for them, while maintaining fee collection from non-charitable pharmacies.
HB 182 requires all licensed hospitals and healthcare providers in Louisiana to ensure a qualified healthcare professional (such as a physician or sexual assault nurse examiner) is available during operating hours to provide forensic examinations and treatment to sexual assault survivors. It mandates that facilities offer survivors information about these services and maintain personnel trained to conduct forensic medical exams. The bill directly affects hospitals, clinics, and healthcare providers statewide by setting new standards for their response to sexual assault cases. It defines key terms like "qualified healthcare professional" to clarify who can perform these examinations, aiming to improve access to specialized care for survivors.
HB 775 modifies Louisiana law to expand when minors can consent to medical care without parental permission. It allows minors aged 13-17 to consent to treatment for pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, substance misuse, and certain emergencies (like abuse or neglect), while requiring parental access to medical records. The bill also prohibits schools or facilities from providing preventive care to minors without parental consent and shields healthcare providers from liability for following these rules. It repeals prior provisions that permitted broader minor consent or school-based care without parental involvement. This directly affects minors, parents/guardians, healthcare providers, and schools in Louisiana.
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.
HB 589 (Energy/Pipelines: Requires a five hundred foot setback for carbon dioxide pipelines) would require carbon dioxide transport pipelines in Louisiana to maintain a minimum 500-foot buffer zone from inhabited dwellings, schools, and healthcare facilities. This policy directly affects pipeline companies planning to construct CO2 transportation infrastructure within the state. The bill amends Louisiana law to add this setback requirement as a specific siting condition for CO2 pipelines, mirroring existing rules for Class VI injection wells. The provision aims to establish a standardized safety distance between pipeline infrastructure and sensitive locations.
