HEALTH SERVICES: Provides relative to adult residential care providers. (gov sig)

Louisiana care homes must provide backup power

Every licensed adult residential care provider in Louisiana must have backup power by July 1, 2027. It must power all required systems at the same time during an outage. These include life-safety systems, patient-care lighting and medical equipment, water and sewer equipment, medication dispensing and refrigeration, food services, and laundry. It must also keep indoor temperatures safe to prevent heat- or cold-related harm. Providers bear the costs of getting and maintaining these systems. Permanent generators, mobile or contracted generators, shared campus systems, and other engineered emergency power systems are allowed. Providers must arrange enough fuel to run at full load for at least 72 hours. Fuel arrangements can combine onsite storage, contracted delivery before an emergency, and shared fuel resources. A direct municipal gas line or an onsite propane tank with enough fuel also qualifies. Providers without a permanent onsite generator must have a rapid-connect system for mobile or contracted power. They must also update their emergency plan annually with resident safety measures, power connections, backup systems, and fuel arrangements. Plans must be provided to the Louisiana Department of Health upon request. The department can grant one extension of up to 12 months after a written request showing extraordinary, unforeseen circumstances. Providers must also show substantial compliance or good-faith efforts. The State Fire Marshal checks compliance and can require plans and documents, conduct inspections, and reject unsafe or inadequate systems. Noncompliance is referred to the health department. The department can adopt implementation rules, including emergency rules, after consulting the fire marshal. It must also convene an advisory workgroup that includes the Louisiana Assisted Living Association and LeadingAge Southeast. The group discusses implementation, compliance progress, barriers, and rules. It must meet by October 1, 2026, and end no later than July 1, 2028.