RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 666 (HB 976) 2024 Regular Session Owen
New law changes prior law short title from the "No Patient Left Alone Law" to the "Don
Scoggins Law".
Prior law required a facility to submit a written copy of its visitation policies and procedures
to the health standards section of the La. Dept. of Health (LDH) at the initial licensure
survey.
New law repeals prior law provision.
New law requires a facility, as provided in existing law, to allow in-person visitation by the
designated essential caregiver daily in addition to any other visitation authorized by the
facility.
New law shall not apply to licensed forensic psychiatric hospitals.
Prior law required a facility to make its visitation policies and procedures available for
review by LDH at any time upon request after licensure.
New law repeals prior law provision.
New law allows a resident, client, or patient to designate at least one visitor who is a family
member, friend, guardian, or other individual as a designated essential caregiver.
New law does not require a designated essential caregiver to provide advance notice of the
intent to visit the patient. New law also does not require the designated essential caregiver
to provide necessary care to a resident, client, or patient of a facility, and a facility providing
such care shall not require a designated essential caregiver to provide such care.
Prior law provided that within 24 hours after establishing the policies and procedures
required by existing law, the facility shall make its policies and procedures easily accessible
from the homepage of its website.
New law repeals prior law provision.
New law further requires the visitation provisions of new law to allow in-person visitation
unless otherwise restricted by law or by order of the court.
Prior law required LDH to dedicate a stand-alone page on its website to explain the visitation
requirements of prior law and provide a link to LDH's webpage to report complaints.
New law repeals prior law provision.
New law provides that a facility's policies and procedures shall require a designated essential
caregiver to agree in writing to follow the policies and procedures, and a facility may suspend
in-person visitation for a specific designated essential caregiver if he violates the facility's
policies and procedures.
New law requires access to a religious or spiritual support person to be included in addition
to the designated essential caregiver and in accordance with existing law.
Effective August 1, 2024.
(Amends the heading of Part VI of Chapter 5-G of Title 40 and R.S. 40:1300.51 and
1300.55)


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