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HB288 • 2026

HEALTH CARE/RECORDS: Provides for the use of certain medical terminology in medical documentation (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

HEALTH CARE/RECORDS: Provides for the use of certain medical terminology in medical documentation (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

Abortion Healthcare
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Chad Boyer
Last action
2026-05-29
Official status
Signed by the Governor - Act 540
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify that the requirement is mandatory for all cases where 'spontaneous abortion' is used, only that it may be included.

Health Care Records: Medical Terminology

This act allows medical professionals to include the term 'miscarriage' alongside 'spontaneous abortion' in medical records and billing documents.

What This Bill Does

  • Entities regulated by Louisiana law may include the term 'miscarriage' in parentheses after using the phrase 'spontaneous abortion' when documenting patient information.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Healthcare providers who document patient information in medical records or billing statements.
  • Patients whose medical history includes a 'spontaneous abortion' will see both terms used in their documentation.

Terms To Know

Spontaneous Abortion
A natural loss of pregnancy before the fetus is viable, often referred to medically as miscarriage.
Medical Documentation
Records and reports created by healthcare providers about patient care and treatment.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act only applies when 'spontaneous abortion' is used in medical records or billing, not for other terms.
  • It does not require the use of either term but allows for their inclusion together.
  • The effective date of this law is August 1, 2026.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Adopted

Plain English: HCAHB288 4465 2965 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB288 4465 2965 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to Original House Bill No.
  • 288 by Representative Boyer 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 8, change "shall" to "may" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 4 On page 1, line 15, change "shall" to "may" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.
Draft

Plain English: HCAHB288 4465 2882 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB288 4465 2882 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to Original House Bill No.
  • 288 by Representative Boyer 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 8, change "shall" to "may" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 4 On page 1, line 15, change "shall" to "may" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-29 H

    Effective date: 08/01/2026.

  2. 2026-05-29 H

    Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 540.

  3. 2026-05-26 H

    Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

  4. 2026-05-25 S

    Signed by the President of the Senate.

  5. 2026-05-25 H

    Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

  6. 2026-05-25 H

    Received from the Senate without amendments.

  7. 2026-05-21 S

    Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  8. 2026-05-18 S

    Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

  9. 2026-05-14 S

    Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  10. 2026-05-13 S

    Reported favorably.

  11. 2026-04-14 S

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

  12. 2026-04-13 S

    Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

  13. 2026-04-09 H

    Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

  14. 2026-04-08 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 04/09/2026.

  15. 2026-04-07 H

    Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

  16. 2026-04-01 H

    Reported with amendments (10-0).

  17. 2026-03-09 H

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

  18. 2026-02-27 H

    First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

  19. 2026-02-24 H

    Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

  20. 2026-02-24 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

HEALTH CARE/RECORDS: Provides for the use of certain medical terminology in medical documentation (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED
ACT No. 5402026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 288
BY REPRESENTATIVES BOYER, ADAMS, AMEDEE, BACALA, BAYHAM,
BEAULLIEU, BILLINGS, BOUDREAUX, CARLSON, CARRIER, CHENEVERT,
CREWS, DESHOTEL, EGAN, MELERINE, OWEN, SCHAMERHORN, SPELL,
AND WYBLE
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 22:46.1 and R.S. 40:1300.81, relative to medical terminology; to provide for
3 terminology used in medical documentation; to require certain terms be included in
4 medical records and medical billing; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 22:46.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 §46.1. Use of certain medical terminology
8 Entities regulated by this Code may include the term "miscarriage" in
9 parentheses following the term "spontaneous abortion" when the term "spontaneous
10 abortion" is utilized in medical documentation, such as medical records or medical
11 billing.
12 Section 2. R.S. 40:1300.81 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
13 §1300.81. Use of certain medical terminology
14 When the term "spontaneous abortion" is utilized in medical documentation,
15 such as medical records or medical billing, the term "miscarriage" may be added in
16 parentheses following the term "spontaneous abortion".
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 1 of 1
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.