SB 516

SLS 26RS-1255  ORIGINAL
 2026 Regular Session
 SENATE BILL NO. 516
 BY SENATOR MYERS
 HEALTH/ACC INSURANCE. Provides for licensure requirements for hospitals that provide
 emergency services. (8/1/26)
1AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 40:2115.34, relative to licensing requirements for hospitals that provide
3emergency services; to require a minimum number of inpatient hospital beds; to
4require a minimum number of emergency department beds; to provide for
5exceptions; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7Section 1. R.S. 40:2115.3 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8§2115.34. Licensure requirements of hospitals that provide emergency services
9A. No hospital license shall be issued or be renewed on or after January
101, 2027, without meeting the following requirements:
11(1) Each hospital shall maintain a minimum of thirty inpatient hospital
12beds.
13(2) Each hospital shall maintain a minimum of fifteen emergency
14department beds.
15(3) Each hospital shall fully comply with the requirements of the federal
16Emergency Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986 (EMTALA), and its
17implementing regulations, regardless of whether the hospital accepts
  Page 1 of 2
  Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
  words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
 SLS 26RS-1255  ORIGINAL
  SB NO. 516
1remuneration from Medicare.
2B. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to the following
3hospitals:
4(1) A hospital that is an off-site campus of a main hospital campus.
5(2) A hospital designated as a critical access hospital under federal law.
6(3) A rural hospital as defined by R.S. 40:1189.3.
7(4) A physician-owned hospital that does not provide twenty-four hour
8emergency medical services.
9(5) A hospital that is owned or operated by a city, parish, or other
10political subdivision of the state of Louisiana.
  The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
  of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Senate Legislative Services.
  The keyword, summary, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof
  or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
  DIGEST
 SB 516 Original  2026 Regular Session  Myers
 Proposed law applies to the licensing of hospitals with emergency services.
 Proposed law does not apply to an off-site campus of a hospital, critical access hospitals,
 rural hospitals, physician-owned hospitals not providing 24-hour emergency medical
 services, or hospitals owned or operated by a political subdivision.
 Proposed law requires hospitals maintain 30 inpatient and 15 emergency department beds
 to either be issued a hospital license or renew its license. Further requires full compliance
 with federal Emergency Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986 (EMTALA).
 Effective August 1, 2026.
 (Adds R.S. 40:2115.34)
  Page 2 of 2
  Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
  words in boldface type and underscored are additions.