HB 1220

HLS 26RS-1392  ENGROSSED
 2026 Regular Session
 HOUSE BILL NO. 1220
 BY REPRESENTATIVE LACOMBE
 BOARDS/COMMISSIONS: Provides relative to the Louisiana State Board of Medical
  Examiners
1AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 37:1263(B)(1) through (7), (C)(1)(a) and (2)(b), and (D)(1),
31266, and 1270(A)(introductory paragraph) and (9) and to enact R.S. 37:1263(C)(3)
4and (D)(4) and (5), relative to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners; to
5provide for membership of the board; to provide for the duties of the board; to
6provide for qualifications of the members of the board; to establish a procedure for
7filling vacancies of the board; to provide for the president of the board; to provide
8for executive staff of the board; and to provide for related matters.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10Section 1. R.S. 37:1263(B)(1) through (7), (C)(1)(a) and (2)(b), and (D)(1), 1266,
11 and 1270(A)(introductory paragraph) and (9) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
12 37:1263(C)(3) and (D)(4) and (5) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
13§1263. Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners; membership; qualifications;
14appointment; removal; terms
15*       *  *
16B. The board shall consist of ten voting members, all appointed by the
17governor and subject to Senate confirmation as follows:
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1(1) Two members who are physicians from a list of names submitted by the
2Louisiana State Medical Society. One of the members so appointed shall practice
3in a parish or municipality with a population of less than twenty thousand people.
4(2) One member who is a physician from a list of names submitted by the
5Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at New Orleans. At least every
6other member appointed from a list provided for in this Paragraph shall be a minority
7appointee.    Nothing in this Paragraph shall preclude consecutive minority
8appointments from lists provided for in this Paragraph.
9(3) One member who is a physician from a list of names submitted by the
10Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport. At least every
11other member appointed from a list provided for in this Paragraph shall be a minority
12appointee.    Nothing in this Paragraph shall preclude consecutive minority
13appointments from lists provided for in this Paragraph.
14(4) One member who is a physician from a list of names submitted by the
15Tulane Medical School.
16(5) Two members who are physicians from a list submitted by the Louisiana
17Medical Association.
18(6) One member who is a physician from a list submitted by the Louisiana
19Academy of Family Practice Physicians.
20(7) One member who is a physician from a list submitted by the Louisiana
21Hospital Association. At least every other member appointed from a list provided for
22in this Paragraph shall be a minority appointee. Nothing in this Paragraph shall
23preclude consecutive minority appointments from lists provided for in this
24Paragraph.
25*       *  *
26C.(1) Each physician member of the board shall, at the time of appointment,
27meet all of the following qualifications:
28(a) Has been a resident of this state for not less than six months five years.
29*       *  *
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1(2)
2*        *        *
3(b) The consumer member shall be a full voting member of the board with
4all rights and privileges conferred on board members, except that the consumer
5member shall not participate in the grading of individual examinations. The
6consumer member shall serve at the pleasure of the governor.
7(3) No member shall serve on the board if he is also a member of the
8governing body of a nominating organization provided for in Subsection B of this
9Section.
10D.(1) The governor shall appoint the members of the board in accordance
11with other the provisions of this Section and the state constitution. The governor
12shall ensure that his appointments demonstrate race, gender, ethnic, and geographical
13diversity and shall consider an allocation of medical specialties that broaden the
14expertise of the physician members of the board.
15*        *        *
16(4) The governor shall request a list of nominees from the nominating
17organization when he intends to fill a vacancy on the board. The nominating
18organization shall respond to the governor's request within thirty days and provide
19a list of nominees within ninety days of the request. If the nominating organization
20fails to meet either deadline provided for in this Paragraph, the governor shall
21appoint a physician of his choosing.
22(5) The governor may select the president of the board from the members of
23the board in accordance with R.S. 42:4(B)(1). If the governor does not select a
24president, the members of board shall select a president by majority vote.
25*        *        *
26§1266. Meetings of board
27The board shall hold at least one five regular meeting meetings each year and
28special meetings as are necessary. A special meeting of the board may be called by
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1the president ,or at the written request of a majority of the board members, at any
2place time when a majority of the board, or its president, deems it expedient.
3*       *  *
4§1270. Duties and powers of the board
5A. The board shall do all of the following:
6*       *  *
7(9) Appoint executive staff as appropriate to fulfill the mission of the board.
8The board shall, at a minimum, appoint the following staff:
9(a) An executive director who is the administrative head of the board, has
10operational oversight over all departments, and perform other such duties as may be
11prescribed by the board. The executive director is not required to be a physician and
12shall not participate in discussions related to investigations and discipline of
13licensees.
14(b) A a director of investigations to who shall act as the lead investigator for
15any complaint regarding a physician received by the board or any investigation
16regarding a physician initiated by the board upon its own motion in accordance with
17R.S. 37:1285.2(A). The director of investigations shall serve at the pleasure of the
18board and be answerable directly to the board. The director of investigations shall
19be prohibited from concurrently serving as the executive director of the board. Any
20person appointed by the board to serve as director of investigations shall be a
21Louisiana-licensed physician who maintains board certification and has engaged in
22the active practice of medicine in this state for at least five years.
23*       *  *
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  HB NO. 1220
  DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, 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)]
HB 1220 Engrossed  2026 Regular Session  LaCombe
Abstract: Provides relative to the La. St. Board of Medical Examiners (board).
Present law provides that the board shall have 10 voting members who are all appointed by
the governor and subject to Senate confirmation.
Proposed law requires that all members of the board, except the consumer member, be
physicians.
Present law provides that a physician member of the board shall, at the time of appointment,
be a resident of this state for six months.
Proposed law modifies present law by changing the resident requirement from six months
to five years.
Present law provides for one consumer member of the board.
Proposed law provides that the consumer member shall serve at the pleasure of the governor.
Proposed law prohibits a member from serving on the board if he is also a member of the
governing body of a nominating organization, as provided by present law.
Proposed law requires the governor to ensure that his appointments to the board demonstrate
diversity.
Proposed law requires the governor to provide a nominating organization notice of his intent
to fill a vacancy on the board. Proposed law further requires the nominating organization
to respond to the notice within 30 days and provide a list of nominees within 90 days. If the
nominating agency fails to meet either deadline, the governor appoints a physician of his
choosing.
Present law provides that the board shall hold at least one regular meeting each year.
Proposed law requires the board to hold at least five meetings each year.
Proposed law provides that the governor may select the president of the board from the
members of the board, but if he does not select a president, the board shall select a president.
Proposed law requires the board to hire an executive director of the board who has
administrative oversight of the board and its subdivisions. Proposed law further requires the
executive director to participate in discussions related to investigations and discipline of
licensees.
Present law requires the board to hire a director of investigations who is a La.-licensed
physician and actively practices medicine.
Proposed law clarifies present law that the director of investigations must actively practice
in this state.
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HLS 26RS-1392  ENGROSSED
  HB NO. 1220
(Amends R.S. 37:1263(B)(1)-(7), (C)(1)(a) and (2)(b), and (D)(1), 1266, and 1270(A)(intro.
para.) and (9); Adds R.S. 37:1263(C)(3) and (D)(4) and (5))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
   The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to
  the original bill:
   1.      Provide for the membership of the board.
   2.      Remove provisions relative to the domicile of the board.
   3.      Make technical changes.
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are additions.