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HB 1247

CRIME/SEX OFFENSES: Creates a statewide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Coordinator

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Roy Adams and 60 co-sponsors

Creates a statewide SANE Coordinator and coordinated 24/7 mobile/TeleSANE system with standardized exams to improve access to forensic care for survivors.

Effective date: 06/03/2026.
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Bill Summary · HB 1247

Summary of HB 1247 (2026, Louisiana) – Crime/Sex Offenses: Creates a statewide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Coordinator

This summary explains the bill’s purpose, key provisions and changes, who would be affected, and notable procedural/timeline aspects. It uses plain language and highlights specifics when available.

1) Purpose and intent

  • Creates a statewide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Coordinator position within the Louisiana Department of Justice (office of the Attorney General) and establishes a statewide framework to standardize, coordinate, and fund SANE services across the state.
  • Aims to improve equitable access to forensic medical examinations for survivors of sexually oriented offenses, including rural and underserved areas, through a statewide SANE strategy and regional mobile SANE teams.
  • Repeals a previous related provision (R.S. 40:1216.1) and consolidates related duties under new Part XI and LDJ/LDH authorities.
  • Establishes a formal reporting and oversight structure, including a subcommittee to set standards and credentialing.

2) Key provisions and changes

  • New statewide SANE Coordinator (R.S. 40:1228.4):

    • Created within the Louisiana Department of Justice.
    • Must be a trained SANE nurse with at least two years of practice experience.
    • Duties include: statewide strategic planning for SANE services, developing/overseeing mobile SANE teams, maintaining standardized protocols, and coordinating with hospitals, law enforcement, and other stakeholders.
    • Chairs the Sexual Assault Response Standards Subcommittee.

  • Sexual Assault Response Standards Subcommittee (R.S. 15:557):

    • A subcommittee of the Louisiana Sexual Assault Oversight Commission.
    • Tasks include: reviewing training protocols to credential SANEs, establishing a statewide SANE registry, and establishing statewide response protocols based on regional needs.
    • 12 members including the statewide SANE Coordinator (as chair), practitioners, representatives from nursing, health, hospitals, sexual assault centers, defense/DA/sheriff/police/law enforcement, and other relevant entities.

  • Part XI: Services for Survivors of Sexually Oriented Offenses Access Act (R.S. 40:1228.1–1228.10):

    • Defines terms (e.g., SANE, forensic medical examination, unreported sexual assault kits, etc.).
    • Creates the statewide SANE Coordinator and a TeleSANE training and mobile SANE program to provide 24/7 regional coverage.
    • Requires standardized, state-approved kits and procedures for forensic exams.
    • Establishes procedures for hospitals/healthcare providers when a survivor seeks treatment, including trauma-informed care, privacy, and advocacy access.
    • Prohibits billing survivors for forensic medical examinations (with limited exceptions for non-covered services or reparations claims under existing law).
    • Requires a 14-day window to reproduce/furnish written documentation from the forensic exam to the survivor at no cost; documentation privacy considerations apply (not a public record unless directed by the survivor).
    • Requires coordination with multiple state agencies (e.g., State Police Crime Lab, coroner labs, Foundation Against Sexual Assault, Children's Advocacy Centers, DCFS, Board of Nursing, etc.) and allows MOUs to facilitate mobile SANE services.
    • TeleSANE and mobile SANE program requirements include 24/7 on-call availability, rapid on-site response (goal: within one hour for acute exams), and region-wide coordination with hospitals, advocates, and law enforcement.
    • Storage, transfer, and disposal rules for sexual assault collection kits (backlog, proper chain of custody, 20-year retention).
    • Immunity for hospital staff/healthcare providers when reporting to law enforcement in good faith.
    • Ensures non-discrimination in access to examinations (no denial based on location or residency).

  • Data and reporting (R.S. 15:624):

    • By Feb. 15 each year: criminal justice agencies, including campus police, must report data on sexually oriented offenses and kit backlogs to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice and the statewide SANE Coordinator.
    • Regional medical directors must submit regional sexual assault response plans and identify gaps in access.
    • LCLE must report grants and expenditures related to SANE services within each LDH region.
    • The annual report must also list agencies that failed to submit required information.

  • Public records and confidentiality:

    • Public records provisions are amended to reference the new law’s treatment of written forensic documentation provided to survivors.
    • Emphasizes privacy protections and limits on public disclosure.

3) Who or what is affected

  • Survivors of sexually oriented offenses across Louisiana (with a focus on improved access and survivor-centered care).
  • Hospitals, emergency departments, and other healthcare providers that perform forensic examinations.
  • SANE nurses and healthcare personnel involved in forensic examinations.
  • Law enforcement agencies, district attorneys, sheriffs, police chiefs, regional medical directors, and coroner-based programs.
  • Regional health departments within the Department of Health (for TeleSANE and mobile SANE operations).
  • State agencies and organizations listed for coordination (e.g., LDSP Crime Lab, DCFS, Board of Nursing, sexual assault centers, children's advocacy centers).

4) Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: Upon the governor’s signature or gubernatorial action, with standard constitutional mechanisms if the governor does not sign.
  • Replaces/repeals Part III-A of Subchapter D of Chapter 5-D of Title 40 (R.S. 40:1216.1) in favor of the new framework.
  • Establishes annual reporting duties due by February 15 each year (regarding kits, regional plans, and grant expenditures).
  • Requires regional SANE training and a statewide database/tracking system for SANE service utilization, response times, and coverage gaps.
  • TeleSANE/mobile SANE program to operate within LDH regions, with on-call hours and rapid response targets.
  • Requires MOUs with hospitals and healthcare facilities to implement the SANE program and coordinate care.

Overall, HB 1247 seeks to create a centralized, well-coordinated, statewide SANE system in Louisiana, backed by a dedicated coordinator, standardized training and protocols, mobile and TeleSANE capabilities, and robust reporting to improve access to forensic examinations and survivor support.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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