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LouisianaSB 4512026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

HEALTH CARE: Provides relative to newborn hearing screening. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE See Note)

Sponsored By: Caleb Kleinpeter (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Health and Welfare

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Hearing checks and follow-up for newborns

Beginning August 1, 2026, Louisiana hospitals must screen newborns before discharge using approved hearing tests. Parents and known primary care and hearing providers receive results. When more testing is needed, birth facilities give families follow-up details; testing is recommended within one month. The program uses national hearing-loss risk guidelines, including family history, more than five days in newborn intensive care, and caregiver concerns. Other risks include certain medical conditions, infections, head injuries, and chemotherapy.

More support for children with hearing loss

Beginning August 1, 2026, families of children identified as deaf or hard of hearing get early-help information and referrals as soon as practical. Early help includes nonmedical services, family support, training, and information about spoken and visual language options. Families can consider and obtain appropriate services and placements from highly qualified providers. The law connects families to free, trained, unbiased support, including other families and adults with hearing loss. The child's bill of rights emphasizes language access and deaf or hard-of-hearing role models; the law adds no insurance coverage or direct subsidies.

Stronger oversight of newborn hearing services

Beginning August 1, 2026, a 21-member council guides Louisiana's hearing program standards, follow-up, quality checks, and coordination with education services. The health office tracks screening, missed screenings, risks, hearing test results, and early-help enrollment, and trains providers to report data. It monitors birth facilities, supplies family materials and a public website, and reports annually to the council and state deaf commission. Governor-appointed members serve three-year terms with Senate confirmation; specified state representatives serve four-year terms alongside the governor without confirmation. Members serve without pay but receive actual travel and work-expense reimbursement under state travel rules; officers also receive duty-related expense reimbursement.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Caleb Kleinpeter

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Tehmi Jahi Chassion

    Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 139 • No: 1

House vote • 5/19/2026

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 94, nays 1. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 94 • No: 1

House vote • 5/12/2026

Reported favorably

Yes: 11 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/21/2026

Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 34 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 517.

    5/29/2026Senate

  2. Effective date 8/1/2026.

    5/29/2026Senate

  3. Signed by the Speaker of the House.

    5/25/2026House

  4. Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.

    5/21/2026Senate

  5. Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    5/20/2026Senate

  6. Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 94, nays 1. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

    5/19/2026House

  7. Received from the House without amendments.

    5/19/2026Senate

  8. Read by title, passed to 3rd reading.

    5/18/2026House

  9. Scheduled for floor debate on 05/19/2026.

    5/18/2026House

  10. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

    5/13/2026House

  11. Reported favorably (11-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/12/2026House

  12. Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

    4/23/2026House

  13. Received in the House from the Senate, read by title, lies over under the rules.

    4/22/2026House

  14. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    4/21/2026Senate

  15. Read by title. Ordered engrossed and passed to third reading and final passage.

    4/20/2026Senate

  16. Reported favorably.

    4/15/2026Senate

  17. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

    3/31/2026Senate

  18. Rules suspended. Introduced in the Senate. Read by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

    3/30/2026Senate

Bill Text

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