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Bill

SR 160

MALPRACTICE: Creates the Louisiana Medical Malpractice Task Force

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Patrick Connick

SR 160 creates a temporary, bipartisan task force to study and propose merit-based, fairness-preserving improvements to Louisiana’s medical malpractice review panel process.

Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate and sent to the Secretary of State by the Secretary of the Senate on 6/2/2026.
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Bill Summary · SR 160

Purpose and intent

  • SR 160 proposes creating the Louisiana Medical Malpractice Task Force to study and make recommendations to improve Louisiana’s medical review panel process, which governs medical malpractice claims under the Medical Malpractice Act.
  • The task force aims to evaluate whether merit-based screening approaches used in other states (e.g., expert certification requirements, pre-suit affidavits, expedited scheduling) could improve efficiency while preserving fairness for claimants and healthcare providers.

Key provisions and changes

  • Establishment of the Louisiana Medical Malpractice Task Force tasked with:
    • Studying, evaluating, and recommending improvements to the medical review panel process.
    • Submitting a written report and proposing legislation and policy reforms.
  • Guiding principles the task force should consider:
    • Revisions and streamlining of the medical review panel process in Louisiana.
    • Potential benefits of merit-based systems used in other states.
  • Composition of the task force:
    • Senate Judiciary A chair or designee.
    • President of the Louisiana Hospital Association or designee.
    • President of the Louisiana State Medical Society or designee.
    • Executive director of the Louisiana Association of Justice or designee.
    • President of the Patients Rights Advocacy Forum or designee.
    • Additional members with relevant knowledge as needed.
  • Administrative details:
    • Member nominations due to the Senate Judiciary A chair by August 1, 2026.
    • Quorum requires a majority; decisions require majority votes of the quorum.
    • Termination date: upon submission of the report or March 1, 2027, whichever comes first.
    • First meeting to be called by the chair; officers to be elected at the initial meeting.
    • Task force to adopt procedures, set a meeting schedule, prepare agendas, and advance its work.
    • Members serve without compensation, though they may receive per diem or expenses as permitted by their participating organizations.
    • Senate Judiciary A to provide necessary staff support.
    • Final report due by March 1, 2027, including specific legislative and policy reform recommendations.
  • Communication and implementation:
    • A written report and recommended reforms (including proposed legislation) to the Legislature and the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library as required by law.

Who and what is affected

  • Mr. and Mrs. Louisiana stakeholders:
    • Healthcare providers and institutions (hospitals, physicians) who participate in or are subject to the medical review panel process.
    • Plaintiffs seeking malpractice relief and their representatives.
    • Patient advocacy organizations and the legal community (Louisiana Association of Justice) that participate in malpractice discourse.
  • The task force itself will drive changes, with a formal report and potential legislation beyond the resolution.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Formation timeline:
    • Nominations due by August 1, 2026.
    • Task force to convene at the call of the Judiciary A chair; officers elected at the first meeting.
  • Operational rules:
    • The task force will establish its own procedures, meeting schedules, agendas, and reporting framework.
  • Reporting deadline:
    • Final written report with findings and legislative recommendations due no later than March 1, 2027.
  • Termination:
    • The task force terminates on the date of its report submission or March 1, 2027, whichever comes first.

Summary assessment

  • SR 160 creates a limited-time, bipartisan-focused effort to reassess Louisiana’s medical malpractice review framework with an eye toward merit-based screening and efficiency, while preserving fairness. It lays out a structured process, diverse stakeholder representation, and a concrete reporting timeline to produce potential legislative and policy reforms.

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

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