SLS 24RS-1450 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 487
BY SENATOR CATHEY
HOSPITALS. Provides for hospital drug screenings. (8/1/24)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 40:978.2.2, relative to drug screening; to require fentanyl testing in certain
3 circumstances; to provide for reporting; to provide for exemptions; to provide
4 relative to limitation of liability; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 40:978.2.2 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 ยง978.2.2. Hospital drug screening; fentanyl
8 A. Except as provided in Subsection C of this Section, if an individual is
9 treated at a hospital and the hospital conducts a urine drug screening to assist
10 in diagnosing the individual's condition, the hospital shall include testing for
11 fentanyl in the individual's urine drug screening.
12 B. If the urine drug screening conducted in accordance with Subsection
13 A of this Section detects fentanyl, the hospital shall report the de-identified test
14 results to the Louisiana Department of Health, office of public health. The office
15 of public health shall treat any reports or documents as confidential and the
16 documents shall not be subject to release pursuant to a public records request
17 or subpoena to the Louisiana Department of Health or the office of public
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 487
SLS 24RS-1450 ORIGINAL
1 health.
2 C. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any hospital that does
3 not have chemical analyzer equipment.
4 D. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any law providing civil
5 or criminal immunity to an individual who is in need of medical assistance after
6 ingesting or using alcohol or drugs or to an individual who in good faith assists
7 another individual who is in need of medical assistance after ingesting or using
8 alcohol or drugs.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Amanda Trapp.
DIGEST
SB 487 Original 2024 Regular Session Cathey
Proposed law provides that if a hospital conducts a urine drug screening on an individual to
assist in treating the individual, the screening shall include testing for fentanyl.
Proposed law requires the hospital to report any screening that detects fentanyl to the
Louisiana Department of Health.
Proposed law exempts certain hospitals from the requirements of proposed law.
Effective August 1, 2024.
(Adds R.S. 40:978.2.2)
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.