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HB 118

HEALTH CARE: Provides relative to emergency certificates in St. Tammany Parish

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Peter Egan

HB 118 authorizes temporary emergency healthcare credentials in St. Tammany Parish to rapidly deploy qualified practitioners during crises, effective August 1, 2025.

Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 61.
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Bill Summary · HB 118

Legislative bill overview

HB 118 establishes provisions for emergency certificates in St. Tammany Parish's healthcare system, allowing qualified healthcare professionals to practice under temporary emergency authority during crises or staffing shortages. The bill became Act No. 61 and takes effect August 1, 2025, after receiving gubernatorial approval.

Why is this important

Emergency certificates enable healthcare facilities to rapidly deploy qualified practitioners during critical situations—natural disasters, pandemics, or acute staffing gaps—without lengthy standard credentialing delays. This can improve patient access to care during emergencies while maintaining some regulatory oversight, though the specific scope of practitioners and conditions eligible for emergency credentials requires examination of the full bill text.

Potential points of contention

  • Regulatory flexibility vs. patient safety: Emergency waivers of standard credentialing requirements may expedite care but could reduce vetting of practitioner qualifications
  • Geographic limitation: Restricting emergency certificates to St. Tammany Parish may create inequitable access if neighboring parishes face similar emergencies
  • Duration and oversight: The bill's specificity on how long emergency certificates remain valid and what oversight mechanisms exist during their use is unclear from available information

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

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