RDCSB70 3645 4957
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
SB 70 Engrossed 2024 Regular Session Mizell
Proposed law authorizes any parish to establish a local overdose fatality review panel to
provide for cooperation among relevant agencies in order to develop an understanding of
causes and incidences of overdoses within the parish and to make recommendations
regarding policy changes to prevent drug overdoses.
Proposed law provides for required membership for the overdose fatality review panel if a
parish decides to establish a panel.
Proposed law provides that a member who declines, in writing, to participate shall not be
counted toward the total membership of the panel nor toward calculating a quorum.
Proposed law provides for two or more parishes to jointly establish a multiparish overdose
fatality review panel and execute a memorandum of understanding between the parishes
regarding membership, staffing, and operations.
Proposed law requires each review panel to submit notice of formation to the secretary of
the La. Dept. of Health and requires the department to maintain a registry of all active
overdose fatality review panels in the state.
Proposed law provides that meetings of the panel are exempt from the Open Meetings Law.
Proposed law authorizes the review panel to access certain information.
Proposed law provides for confidentiality of certain information accessed by the panel.
Proposed law requires each local overdose fatality review panel to report annually to the
appropriate human services district no later than Nov. 1 of each year.
Proposed law further requires the human services district to compile information received
from review panels in its jurisdiction and submit the compiled report to the La. Dept. of
Health no later than Dec. 31 of each year.
Proposed law requires the La. Dept. of Health to aggregate the data and recommendations
received from the human services districts and report annually to the governor and
legislature no later than March 15 of each year.
(Adds R.S. 40:2025.1-2025.6 and R.S. 44:4(64))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to
the engrossed bill:
1. Make technical changes.
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the engrossed bill:
1. Provide for the appointment of certain members of a local panel by the chief
executive of the parish governing authority.
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2. Provide that the director, rather than a representative, of a local health
department or his designee may serve on a local panel.
3. Clarify that district and regional members are from the district or region in which
a local panel is located.
4. Provide that meetings of a panel are not subject to the Open Meetings Law.
5. Provide for timing of reports to be filed pursuant to proposed law.
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