GREEN SHEET REDIGEST
HB 976 2024 Regular Session Owen
HEALTH CARE/FACILITIES: Provides relative to visitation policies at certain
healthcare facilities and requires such facilities to allow in-person visitation.
DIGEST
Proposed law changes present law short title from the "No Patient Left Alone Law" to the
"Don Scoggins Law".
Present 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 removes present law provision.
Proposed law further requires a facility, as provided in present law, to allow in-person
visitation by the designated essential caregiver daily in addition to any other visitation
authorized by the facility.
Proposed law provides an exemption for licensed forensic psychiatric hospitals.
Present law requires a facility to make its visitation policies and procedures available for
review by LDH at any time upon request after licensure.
Proposed law removes present law provision.
Proposed law further allows a resident, client, or patient to designate at least one visitor who
is a family member, friend, guardian, or other individual as a designated essential caregiver.
Proposed law does not require a designated essential caregiver to provide advance notice of
the intent to visit the patient. Proposed law also does not require the designated essential
caregiver to provide necessary care to a resident, client, or patient of a facility, and a facility
providing such care shall not require a designated essential caregiver to provide such care.
Present law provides that within 24 hours after establishing the policies and procedures
required by present law, the facility shall make its policies and procedures easily accessible
from the homepage of its website.
Proposed law removes present law provision.
Proposed law further requires the visitation provisions of proposed law to allow in-person
visitation unless otherwise restricted by law or by order of the court.
Present law requires LDH to dedicate a stand-alone page on its website to explain the
visitation requirements of present law and provide a link to LDH's webpage to report
complaints.
Proposed law removes present law provision.
Proposed law further provides that a facility's policies and procedures shall require a visitor
to agree in writing to follow the policies and procedures, and a facility may suspend
in-person visitation for a specific visitor if the visitor violates the facility's policies and
procedures.
Proposed law requires access to a religious or spiritual support person to be included in
addition to the designated essential caregiver and in accordance with present law.
Page 1 of 2
Prepared by Amanda Trapp. (Amends the heading of Part VI of Chapter 5-G of Title 40 and R.S. 40:1300.51 and
1300.55)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Health and Welfare to
the engrossed bill
1. Provides an exemption for licensed forensic psychiatric hospitals.
2. Requires a designated essential caregiver to agree in writing to follow a
facility's visitation policies and procedures.
Page 2 of 2
Prepared by Amanda Trapp.