The bill amends the Louisiana Revised Statutes to establish new minimum standards for visitation policies at certain healthcare facilities. It introduces the designation of an "essential caregiver," allowing patients to have a designated individual—such as a family member or friend—who can visit them in person daily, in addition to any other visitation provisions. The bill also renames the existing "No Patient Left Alone Law" to the "Don Scoggins Law." Furthermore, it repeals previous requirements for facilities to publish their visitation policies and instead mandates that these policies include provisions for the essential caregiver's access.

In addition to the caregiver designation, the bill stipulates that the essential caregiver does not need to provide advance notice for visits and that their visits should not be restricted except for medical necessity. Facilities are required to ensure that the essential caregiver agrees in writing to follow visitation policies, and they may suspend visitation if these policies are violated. The bill also includes provisions for access to religious or spiritual support persons alongside the essential caregiver, enhancing the support available to patients in healthcare settings.

Statutes affected:
HB976 Original:
HB976 Engrossed:
HB976 Enrolled:
HB976 Act 666: