HLS 18RS-520 ORIGINAL
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 158
BY REPRESENTATIVE FOIL AND SENATOR CLAITOR
CORONERS: Provides relative to admissions to treatment facilities under an emergency
certificate
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 28:53(G)(8), relative to admissions to treatment facilities by
3 emergency certificate; to provide relative to transfers between parishes; to provide
4 relative to duties of physicians and coroners; and to provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 28:53(G)(8) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
7 ยง53. Admission by emergency certificate; extension; payment for services rendered
8 * * *
9 G.
10 * * *
11 (8) As it relates to all other parishes, the parishes of East Baton Rouge,
12 Jefferson, Orleans, and Ouachita, the following shall apply:
13 (a) When a patient is transferred from another parish pursuant to an
14 emergency certificate, a second physician's emergency certificate, when appropriate,
15 shall be executed by a physician at the admitting facility.
16 (b) The coroner shall be notified immediately following the execution of the
17 second emergency certificate and shall conduct an independent examination within
18 seventy-two hours as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, in the manner
19 provided in accordance with Subparagraph (G)(7)(a) of this Section.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 18RS-520 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 158
1 (c) Nothing herein shall be construed to authorize a period of commitment
2 to exceed fifteen days from the date and time the initial emergency certificate was
3 executed in the parish of origin.
4 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 158 Original 2018 Regular Session Foil
Abstract: Expands list of parishes to all in Louisiana that require notification to the coroner
when a second physician's emergency certificate is executed following a patient's
transfer from one parish to another.
Present law allows the admission and detention of a person to a treatment facility for
observation and diagnosis by emergency certificate if the person is mentally ill or is
suffering from substance abuse. However, treatment shall not exceed fifteen days under an
emergency certificate.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law, in the parishes of East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Orleans, and Ouachita, requires
that the coroner be notified when a patient is transferred from one parish to another and a
second physician's emergency certificate is executed. Further requires the coroner to
conduct an independent examination in such cases.
Proposed law maintains present law but expands present law to include all parishes of
Louisiana.
Present law also contains requirements specific to St. Tammany Parish.
Proposed law retains present law.
(Amends R.S. 28:53(G)(8))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.