Senate Bill No. SLS 26RS-135 aims to enhance the reporting requirements for coroners regarding sudden child deaths. The bill mandates that any autopsy report for a child under the age of fifteen who dies unexpectedly must include documentation of any immunizations administered within the ninety days prior to the child's death. Additionally, it grants coroners and individuals contracted to perform autopsies access to the child's immunization records from the state immunization registry. If the cause of death is determined to be Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Sudden Unexpected Infant Death, Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome, or Sudden Death in the Young, the coroner is required to report the case to the Louisiana Department of Health, which will then notify the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health's relevant registries.

The bill also amends existing law to clarify that immunization records are not considered privileged communications when used in accordance with the provisions of the law. This allows various entities, including coroners, to access and share immunization information without needing written consent from the client. Importantly, the bill specifies that the inclusion of an immunization record in any report does not imply a cause of death. The proposed changes are set to take effect on August 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
SB29 Original: 13:5713(C)
SB29 Engrossed: 13:5713(C)
SB29 Reengrossed: 40:14(A)