GREEN SHEET REDIGEST
HB 291 2023 Regular Session Charles Owen
HEALTH CARE/FACILITIES. Provides for visitation policies at certain healthcare
facilities and requires that such policies allow for in-person visitation.
DIGEST
Proposed law shall be known and may be cited as the "No Patient Left Alone Law".
Proposed law applies to all of the following facilities:
(1)Licensed centers that provide care for persons with developmental disabilities as
defined in present law.
(2)Hospitals as defined in present law.
(3)Licensed facilities that provide inpatient hospice care as defined in present law.
(4)Nursing homes as defined in present law.
Proposed law provides for legislative findings.
Proposed law provides that visitation policies and procedures may not require visitors to
submit proof of any vaccination or immunization.
Proposed law further provides that visitation policies shall allow consensual nonsexual
physical contact such as hand holding or hugging.
Proposed law requires a facility to submit a written copy of its visitation policies and
procedures to the Health Standards Section of the La. Dept. of Health (LDH) at the initial
licensure survey. Proposed law further requires visitation policies and procedures to be made
available for review by LDH at any time, upon request.
Proposed law requires a facility to make its policies and procedures easily accessible from
the homepage of its website no later than 24 hours after establishing the policies and
procedures required by proposed law.
Proposed law requires LDH to dedicate a stand-alone page on its website to explain the
visitation requirements set forth in proposed law and provide a link to the department's
webpage to report complaints.
(Amends R.S. 40:2005.1(B)(2)(a), 2009.4(A)(7)(b), 2166.5(B)(12)(b), 2180.2(11)(a)(ii) and
(iii), and 2184(2)(d); Adds R.S. 40:1300.51-1300.55)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to
the original bill:
1. Insert language to specify that the provisions of proposed law apply to licensed
facilities that provide inpatient hospice care.
2. Require facilities to submit a written copy of visitation policies and procedures
to the Health Standards Section of the Louisiana Department of Health at the
initial licensure survey.
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Prepared by Brandi Cannon. 3. Require the La. Dept. of Health to dedicate a stand-alone page on its website to
explain the visitation requirements of proposed law and provide a link to the
department's webpage to report complaints.
4. Make technical corrections.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Health and Welfare to the
engrossed bill
1. Provide for legislative findings.
2. Remove proposed law requiring facilities to establish visitation polices.
3. Remove proposed law providing for the designation of an essential caregiver.
4. Add references to present law providing for in-person visitation rights.
5. Provide for visitation policies to include the right to consensual nonsexual
physical contact such as hand holding or hugging.
6. Provide for visitation policies to not require visitors to submit proof of any
vaccination or immunization.
7. Make technical changes.
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Prepared by Brandi Cannon.