The legislative instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Christine Arbo Peck.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP ORT DIGEST
SB 36 2019 Regular Session Mills
Keyword and summary of the bill as proposed by the Conference Committee
HEALTH CARE. Provides relative to emergency departments (8/1/19)
Report adopts House amendments to:
1. Provide that for purposes of proposed law a "rural hospital" may be a hospital that
is in a parish with a population of greater than 70,000 but less than 90,000 as of the
latest federal decennial census.
2. Provide that for certain rural hospitals the "primary service area" shall be
coterminous with the boundaries of its hospital service district.
3. Make technical changes.
Report rejects House amendments which would have:
1. Provided exemptions from proposed law for certain hospitals.
Report amends the bill to:
1. Provide that the prohibition in proposed law on licensure of an off-site campus
emergency department shall not apply to a hospital that obtained a building or
construction permit for a new hospital prior to April 1, 2019.
Digest of the bill as proposed by the Conference Committee
Proposed law provides legislative intent regarding the need to regulate emergency departments, to
protect the public health and welfare, and to preserve rural hospitals.
Proposed law provides definitions. Proposed law provides that a "rural hospital" means an entity
defined in present law and may be a hospital that is in a parish with a population of greater than
70,000 but less than 90,000 as of the latest federal decennial census. Proposed law requires that emergency departments be licensed by the La. Department of Health
(LDH) as part of the main campuses of hospitals or as separate off-site campuses of existing licensed
hospitals.
Proposed law prohibits licensing of freestanding emergency departments in this state.
Proposed law prohibits licensing of hospital off-site campus emergency departments within the
primary service areas of rural hospitals and that for certain rural hospitals the primary service area
shall be coterminous with the boundaries of its hospital service district.
Proposed law shall not apply to a nonprofit hospital licensed by LDH which obtained a building or
construction permit for a new off-site campus or hospital prior to April 1, 2019.
Effective August 1, 2019.
(Adds R.S. 40:2115.31 through 2115.33)