ENROLLED 2024 Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO. 528 BY REPRESENTATIVE EGAN 1 AN ACT 2 To amend and reenact R.S. 36:785, relative to the deputy secretary of the Department of 3 Veterans Affairs; to establish the position of director of medical services; to provide 4 for responsibilities; to provide for salary; and to provide for related matters. 5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 6 Section 1. R.S. 36:785 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 7 §785. Deputy secretary 8 A. There may be a deputy secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs 9 who shall be appointed by the secretary with consent of the Senate and who shall 10 serve at the pleasure of the secretary at a salary fixed by the secretary, which salary 11 shall not exceed the amount approved for such position by the legislature while in 12 session. The duties and functions of the deputy secretary shall be determined and 13 assigned by the secretary. If appointed, he shall serve as acting secretary in the 14 absence of the secretary. 15 B. The deputy secretary may serve concurrently as the director of medical 16 services who shall oversee medical operations at the veterans' homes of this state and 17 provide oversight over all contracted physicians and manage veteran mental health 18 programs and veteran homelessness within the department. If the deputy secretary 19 also serves as the director of medical services, the salary shall be set by the secretary. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED: Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.