Healthcare

signed · Louisiana · House May 29, 2026

HB 779: HEALTH/MEDICAL TREATMENT: Provides relative to expedited partner therapy (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX See Note)

HB 779 allows Louisiana doctors, nurses, and physician assistants to prescribe antibiotics to a patient’s sexual partner for certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis - without requiring a direct exam or doctor-patient relationship with the partner. It requires providers to give the patient a written document to share with their partner, detailing the prescribed treatment. The bill also grants legal protection to healthcare providers who follow these guidelines in good faith. This policy directly affects patients diagnosed with eligible STIs and their partners, aiming to improve treatment access while reducing infection spread.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables faster STI treatment access by allowing prescribers to directly treat partners without exams, improving public health outcomes and patient access.90% confidence

signed · Louisiana · House May 22, 2026

HB 106: DRUGS: Prohibits the administration of nonprescription medication to children without parental consent (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)

HB 106 prohibits child day care centers in Louisiana from providing melatonin (a nonprescription sleep aid) to children without written consent from a parent or legal guardian. The law directly affects day care centers and parents/guardians, requiring centers to obtain explicit permission before administering melatonin. Violations carry penalties of up to $1,000 in fines, six months in jail, or both. The bill specifically targets melatonin use in day care settings, not all nonprescription medications. It is currently pending before the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts day care centers from administering melatonin without parental consent, limiting healthcare actions in childcare settings per bill's prohibition.90% confidence

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 9, 2026

HB 944: HEALTH SERVICES: Creates the Louisiana Women's Health Consortium (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

HB 944 creates the Louisiana Women's Health Consortium within the Louisiana Department of Health to address women's health needs across the state. The consortium will include 15 voting members representing health institutions (like Tulane School of Medicine and Woman's Hospital), government agencies (such as the surgeon general's office), and community stakeholders, plus nonvoting members from additional health organizations. Its core duties include developing a state funding plan for women's health initiatives, creating a comprehensive Women's Health Agenda focusing on issues like perimenopause and menopause, and identifying systemic barriers to care. The consortium must hold quarterly public meetings, submit an annual report to the legislature, and coordinate an online resource hub for evidence-based women's health information.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates Louisiana Women's Health Consortium to develop state funding plan for women's health services, directly advancing healthcare access and funding within public health programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Women's Health

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 8, 2026

HB 823: COURTS: Establishes a homeless diversion pilot program in Orleans Parish (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX See Note)

HB 823 establishes a pilot program in Orleans Parish that offers homeless individuals facing criminal charges an alternative to court proceedings. Instead of traditional sentencing, eligible defendants can participate in a diversion program providing housing assistance, mental health services, job training, and substance abuse treatment. If participants successfully complete the program’s requirements, the criminal charges are dismissed without a conviction. The program requires annual evaluations and reporting to the Louisiana Supreme Court, aiming to reduce recidivism, court workload, and prison overcrowding while addressing homelessness through community partnerships.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates diversion program replacing court with housing/mental health services; dismisses charges on completion, reducing recidivism and aligning with reform goals.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill provides mental health services as core component of diversion program, advancing access to mental healthcare for homeless individuals facing criminal charges.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides housing assistance as core component of homeless diversion program, directly addressing homelessness through housing access and services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts Sentencing Mental Health Substance Abuse Homelessness

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 221: HEALTH SERVICES: Provides relative to ambulance providers. (8/1/26) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 221 establishes that "treatment-in-place" services - where ambulance providers assess and treat patients at the scene of a 911 call without transporting them - must be covered under Louisiana's Medicaid program (medical assistance program). Ambulance providers (excluding air ambulance services) will be reimbursed at existing Medicaid fee schedule rates for these services, without requiring real-time video or audio communication with a doctor for reimbursement. The bill mandates that such services follow medical protocols and the provider's scope of practice, while the Louisiana Department of Health will create implementing rules. This directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries receiving non-transport emergency care and ambulance providers who serve them.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates Medicaid coverage for ambulance treatment-in-place services, expanding access to non-transport care and requiring reimbursement at existing rates without restrictive communication requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicaid Mental Health Tags Public Safety

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 2, 2026

HB 430: LAW ENFORCE/OFFICERS: Enacts the MJ 911 Act to extend health insurance coverage for families of law enforcement officers and firemen employed by the City of Lafayette who are killed in the line of duty (EN INCREASE LF EX See Note)

HB 430, known as the "MJ 911 Act," mandates that Lafayette Parish employers provide lifelong health insurance coverage for surviving spouses and children (including step- or adopted children) of law enforcement officers or firefighters killed in the line of duty. Specifically, it requires employers to pay for health insurance for surviving spouses for life and for children until age 18 (or until 23 if enrolled in school or disabled). The law applies retroactively to January 1, 2017, for all qualifying families and ensures coverage matches what active members receive. It does not require families to accept the coverage, allowing them to decline it if desired.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates lifelong health insurance coverage for surviving families of deceased officers, expanding access to healthcare benefits for specific beneficiaries.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

passed both · Louisiana · House Jun 2, 2026

HCR 3: HOSPITALS: Provides for a hospital stabilization formula (EN +$659,764,552 SD RV See Note)

HCR 3 establishes a quarterly assessment on Louisiana hospitals to stabilize funding without using state general funds. It requires hospitals to pay a percentage of their inpatient and outpatient revenue (ranging from 1.38% to 6.74%, with exemptions for rural hospitals and small facilities under 40 beds). The collected funds support Medicaid reimbursement enhancements for hospitals, ensuring payments meet or exceed 2026 rates while aligning with federal CMS guidelines. This directly affects most acute care hospitals in Louisiana, excluding rural and small facilities, and aims to preserve hospital services for all residents.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes hospital assessments (1.38%-6.74%) to fund Medicaid reimbursement enhancements without using state general funds, directly advancing budget allocation for essential healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates a funding mechanism to enhance Medicaid hospital reimbursements, ensuring payments meet or exceed 2026 rates. This directly supports hospital financial stability and continuity of care for Medicaid patients.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicaid

Track

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 192: HEALTH/ACC INSURANCE: Provides for the method of dental reimbursement or payments. (gov sig)

SB 192 requires dental insurance plans in Louisiana to obtain written, explicit consent ("express acceptance") from dentists before switching their payment method to electronic funds transfer or credit card. It defines "express acceptance" as a clear, written agreement from the dental provider, eliminating implied or ambiguous consent. The bill applies to all new dental insurance policies issued on or after January 1, 2027, and existing policies must comply by January 1, 2028. This directly affects dental insurance plans and dentists by mandating written agreement for payment method changes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires written consent for dental payment method changes, protecting provider autonomy and ensuring stable insurance networks within healthcare services.75% confidence

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 219: HEALTH DEPARTMENT: Creates the office of health and nutrition within the Louisiana Department of Health. (gov sig) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 219 creates a new "Office of Health and Nutrition" within the Louisiana Department of Health. This office will coordinate existing state programs including the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) supplemental nutrition program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), and physical fitness initiatives. It establishes an executive director who reports directly to the Health Secretary and outlines the office's duties to lead and develop policy for these nutrition and health programs. The bill amends existing statutes to formally integrate this office into the department's structure without changing eligibility or funding for the programs it coordinates.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates Office of Health and Nutrition to coordinate WIC, CSFP, and fitness programs, strengthening policy development and program coordination within state health initiatives.90% confidence

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 222: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Provides for Medicaid behavioral health services. (gov sig) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 222 streamlines Medicaid behavioral health services in Louisiana by removing unnecessary administrative barriers for providers. It prohibits requiring pre-employment reference letters (§302), eliminates most CPR/first aid certification demands for staff (§303), aligns documentation timelines with federal standards (§305), and allows physician assistants with specific experience to serve as medical directors (§307). The bill also requires the state to seek federal approval for telehealth reimbursement of psychosocial services by July 2026 (§308). These changes directly affect Medicaid behavioral health providers, aiming to reduce duplication and expand workforce flexibility while maintaining care quality.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves administrative barriers for Medicaid behavioral health providers, improving access to mental health services and aligning with federal standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Mental Health Telehealth