HLS 25RS-1037 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 555
BY REPRESENTATIVES AMEDEE AND MCCORMI CK
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
HEALTH/MEDICAL TREATMENT: Provides relative to medical intervention
1 AN ACT
2To enact Part IX of Chapter 5-G of Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be
3 comprised of R.S. 40:1300.81 through 1300.85, relative to medical intervention; to
4 provide for a short title; to provide for legislative intent; to provide definitions; to
5 provide for the right to refuse a medical intervention; to provide for the denial of
6 access based on medical intervention status; to provide exceptions; to provide
7 penalties; and to provide for related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. Part IX of Chapter 5-G of Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
101950, comprised of R.S. 40:1300.81 through 1300.85, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 PART IX. LOUISIANA MEDICAL FREEDOM ACT
12 §1300.81. Short title; legislative intent
13 A. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Louisiana Medical
14 Freedom Act."
15 B. The legislature hereby finds and declares that society is harmed by
16 discrimination based on medical mandates as provided in this Part when healthy
17 persons are prevented from participating in society and accessing employment
18 opportunities. The legislature also finds that remedies to prevent such discrimination
19 are in the best interest of this state.
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1 §1300.82. Definitions
2 A. "Business entity" means any person or group of persons performing or
3 engaging in any activity, enterprise, profession, or occupation for gain, benefit,
4 advantage, or livelihood, whether for profit or not-for-profit. "Business entity"
5 includes but is not limited to any of the following:
6 (1) Self-employed individuals, business entities filing articles of
7 incorporation, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, foreign
8 corporations, foreign limited partnerships, foreign limited liability companies
9 authorized to transact business in this state, business trusts, and any business entity
10 that registers with the secretary of state.
11 (2) Any business entity that possesses a business license, permit, certificate,
12 approval, registration, charter, or similar form of authorization issued by the state;
13 any business entity exempt by law from obtaining a business license; and any
14 business entity operating unlawfully without a business license.
15 B. "Medical intervention" means any pharmaceutical or biological agent or
16 product designed to alter or restrict the biological functioning of the body, including
17 but not limited to vaccinations.
18 §1300.83. Right to refuse any medical intervention
19 A. The right of a person to refuse any medical intervention for himself or for
20 his minor child or anyone for whom he has authority as a tutor or curator, shall not
21 be questioned or interfered with in any manner.
22 B. The right of a person to public accommodation, to equal protection of the
23 law, and to seek restitution for harm shall not be denied or infringed upon because
24 of the exercise of the rights contained in this Section.
25 §1300.84. Denial of access prohibited; exceptions
26 A. No state, parish, or local government entity or official in this state shall
27 require any person to receive or use a medical intervention as a condition of
28 employment, entry into a public building, service, public assistance or aid, or
29 licensure.
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HB NO. 555
1 B. A business entity operating in this state shall not require a medical
2 intervention as a term of employment.
3 C. A business entity operating in this state shall not deny services, products,
4 admission, or transportation based solely on a person's medical intervention status.
5 D. No person shall take an adverse action or impose any penalty against an
6 individual lawfully residing in this state for the individual's refusal or failure to
7 obtain a medical intervention.
8 E.(1) A business or governmental entity shall not require a person to wear
9 a face mask, a face shield, or any other facial covering that covers the mouth and
10 nose. A business or governmental entity shall not deny any person access to, entry
11 upon, service from, or admission to the entity or otherwise discriminate against a
12 person based on a person's refusal to wear a face mask, a face shield, or any other
13 facial covering that covers the mouth and nose.
14 (2) Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall not apply to the following:
15 (a) A healthcare provider as defined in R.S. 40:1223.3, when a face mask,
16 a face shield, or any other facial covering that covers the mouth and nose is required
17 safety equipment consistent with occupational or laboratory safety requirements, in
18 accordance with standards adopted by the Louisiana Department of Health in the
19 state's Sanitary Code.
20 (b) A business or governmental entity when a face mask, a face shield, or
21 any other facial covering that covers the mouth and nose is required safety
22 equipment consistent with occupational or laboratory safety requirements, in
23 accordance with standards adopted by the Louisiana Department of Health in the
24 state's Sanitary Code.
25 §1300.85. Penalties
26 A. A government or business entity that violates the provisions of this Part
27 shall be liable for statutory damages of not less than five thousand dollars per
28 violation and any other remedies available under law.
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HB NO. 555
1 B. The prevailing party in an action brought pursuant to this Part may
2 recover reasonable expenses incurred as a result of this action.
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)]
HB 555 Original 2025 Regular Session Amedee
Abstract: Prohibits denial of access or discriminatory practices against a person based on
his medical intervention status.
Proposed law provides that proposed law shall be known and may be cited as the "Louisiana
Medical Freedom Act". Proposed law further provides the legislative intent behind proposed
law.
Proposed law defines "business entity" and "medical intervention".
Proposed law provides that the right of a person to refuse any medical intervention for
himself or for his minor child or anyone for whom he has authority as a tutor or curator, shall
not be questioned or interfered with in any manner.
Proposed law prohibits a person from being denied a right to public accommodation, equal
protection under the law, or seeking restitution for harm or having his right infringed upon
because of his desire to exercise the rights provided for in proposed law.
Proposed law prohibits a state, parish, or local government entity or official in this state from
requiring a person to receive or use a medical intervention as a condition of employment,
entry into a public building, service, public assistance or aid, or licensure.
Proposed law prohibits a business entity operating in this state from requiring a medical
intervention as a term of employment. Proposed law further prohibits a business entity
operating in this state from denying services, products, admission, or transportation based
solely on a person's medical intervention status.
Proposed law prohibits a person from taking an adverse action or imposing any penalty
against an individual lawfully residing in this state for the individual's refusal or failure to
obtain a medical intervention.
Proposed law prohibits a business or governmental entity from requiring a person to wear
a face mask, a face shield, or any other facial covering that covers the mouth and nose.
Proposed law prohibits a business or governmental entity from denying any person access
to, entry upon, service from, or admission to the entity or otherwise discriminating against
a person based on a person's refusal to wear a face mask, a face shield, or any other facial
covering that covers the mouth and nose.
Proposed law provides that the following circumstances when the aforementioned provisions
of proposed law are not applicable:
(1)When a healthcare provider as defined present law (R.S. 40:1223.3) is required to
wear a face mask, a face shield, or any other facial covering that covers the mouth
and nose due to such items being required safety equipment consistent with
occupational or laboratory safety requirements.
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(2)When a business or governmental entity requires a face mask, a face shield, or any
other facial covering that covers the mouth and nose due to such items being required
safety equipment consistent with occupational or laboratory safety requirements.
Proposed law states that a government or business entity that violates the provisions of
proposed law shall be liable for statutory damages of not less than $5,000 per violation and
any other remedies available under law.
Proposed law allows the prevailing party in an action brought pursuant to proposed law to
recover reasonable expenses incurred as a result of this action.
(Adds R.S. 40:1300.81-1300.85)
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