2022 REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS A WRAP
• SB 175 by Sen. Regina Barrow would have allowed independent practice of nurse practitioners after fewer than 6 months under a collaborative practice agreement. • HB 543 by Rep. Joe Stagni would have allowed independent practice of nurse practitioners after less than a year under a collaborative practice agreement. It created a new category of collaborators called a “consulting practitioner” which would have included other nurse practitioners. The bill further included language granting “global signature authority” to nurses.
On June 6 at 6 PM, the Louisiana Legislature constitutionally adjourned Sine Die, ending the 2022 Regular Legislative Session!
In a session that saw 6 significant scope bills, 38 anti-vaccine bills, 4 noncompete bills, 2 medical malpractice bills, 1 anti-trust bill, an embedded veto session and so much more, organized medicine is breathing a sigh of relief that we were able to fend off so many bills that would have negatively impacted you. However, we are happy to share that we did successfully pass several bills aimed at easing some of your administrative burdens related to insurance. A huge thank you to the many physicians who joined us at the Capitol to testify for and against legislation. While there, they often served as volunteers for the First Aid Station, too! We hope to have many of you join us again and encourage those of you with an interest to reach out for opportunities that help you stay involved. We’ll start with the embedded veto session – not because we were involved in that session but because that is the day the Physician’s Coalition hosted White Coat Wednesday. The 109 physicians and guests who attended this year’s advocacy day got to witness history in watching as both bodies overturned Gov. John Bel Edwards’ veto of congressional redistricting maps. Our thanks to the many lobbyists and staff members who helped pivot on short notice to accommodate the necessary changes required by the veto session’s schedule. The event proved very successful in giving member physicians the ability to discuss medical issues with legislators. While we don’t currently have a date for 2023, we are already working on plans for next year’s event and encourage you to watch for updates in early January once the Speaker’s office releases the event calendar.
Neither bill was moved.
The physician assistants brought one bill, SB 158 , authored by Sen. Jay Luneau which sought to:
• Eliminate direction, control and supervision by a physician
• Replace clinical practice guidelines with a collaborative practice agreement establishing a scope rather than allowing for physician delegation
• Eliminate physician informed concurrence of the physician assistant’s actions
• Remove all required physician engagement during a declared state of emergency
• Allow physician assistants to be employed by an “other health care organization or entity.”
SB 158 did receive a hearing in Senate Health and Welfare and was reported favorably. It was returned to the calendar on the Senate floor. However, the author was very adamant that he would be back next year if we don’t all work together to find a solution to the scope battles. The biggest scope challenges this year actually came from the pharmacists who proposed 3 aggressive bills aimed at moving pharmacists directly into the field of medicine. The first of the 3 bills was authored by Senate Health and Welfare Committee
SESSION. SCOPE. REPEAT.
This year’s six scope bills were offered allowing for the practice of medicine by advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants and pharmacists.
The nurses offered two pieces of legislation this year:
16 J LA MED SOC | VOL 174 | SUMMER 2022
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