HEALTH CARE/RECORDS: Provides for the exemption of fees for health records when requested for the federal and state veterans affairs departments

Healthcare

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Tehmi Chassion
Last action: 2026-05-29
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 558
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify any limitations on subsequent requests beyond the initial exemption.

Health Records for Veterans

This act removes fees for medical records when veterans request them to apply for disability benefits from the federal or state veterans affairs departments.

What This Bill Does

Removes any charges healthcare providers can ask for when a veteran requests their medical records for disability benefit claims.
Defines 'veteran' using Louisiana's existing law on who qualifies as a veteran.
Limits this fee exemption to one request per veteran, regardless of the reason for future record requests.

Who It Names or Affects

Veterans applying for disability benefits from federal or state veterans affairs departments.
Healthcare providers and facilities who must provide medical records without charging fees when requested by a veteran for disability benefit claims.

Terms To Know

veteran: A person who has served in the military and meets Louisiana's criteria to be recognized as a veteran.

Limits and Unknowns

The exemption only applies once per veteran, even if they need more records later.
Healthcare providers can ask for proof that the request is related to disability benefits before giving free medical records.

Bill History

2026-05-29 H
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
2026-05-29 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 558.
2026-05-26 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-25 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-25 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-25 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-21 S
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-18 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-14 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-05-13 S
Reported favorably.
2026-03-31 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
2026-03-30 S
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-03-26 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 93, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-03-25 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 03/26/2026.
2026-03-24 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-23 H
Reported favorably (8-0-1).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Civil Law and Procedure.
2026-02-27 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
2026-02-26 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Civil Law and Procedure.
2026-02-26 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

HEALTH CARE/RECORDS: Provides for the exemption of fees for health records when requested for the federal and state veterans affairs departments

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 5582026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 609
BY REPRESENTATIVES CHASSION, ADAMS, BAYHAM, BEAULLIEU, BERAULT,
BILLINGS, BOYD, BRYANT, BUTLER, CARVER, CHENEVERT, CREWS,
ECHOLS, GREEN, HILFERTY, HORTON, MIKE JOHNSON, JORDAN, KNOX,
LAFLEUR, LARVADAIN, LYONS, MARCELLE, MARTINEZ, MILLER,
MOORE, MURRAY, NEWELL, OWEN, PHELPS, SAWYER, SCHLEGEL,
TAYLOR, WALTERS, WILEY, AND WYBLE
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 40:1165.1(D), relative to healthcare information records; to provide for the
3 exemption of fees for medical records when requested for disability benefits
4 administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the Louisiana
5 Department of Veterans Affairs; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 40:1165.1(D) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 §1165.1. Healthcare information; records
9 * * *
10 D.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, no
11 healthcare provider, healthcare facility, or custodian of healthcare information shall
12 charge any fee for the preparation, reproduction, handling, or transmission of
13 medical records when such records are requested by or on behalf of a veteran for the
14 sole purpose of submitting a claim for disability benefits administered by the United
15 States Department of Veterans Affairs or the Louisiana Department of Veterans
16 Affairs.
17 (2) For purposes of this Subsection, "veteran" has the same meaning as
18 provided in R.S. 13:5364.
19 (3) The exemption provided in this Subsection shall apply only once per
20 veteran and shall not apply to any subsequent request for medical records regardless
21 of purpose.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 609 ENROLLED
1 (4) A healthcare provider or custodian may require reasonable documentation
2 establishing veteran status and that the request is made in connection with a
3 disability benefits claim prior to applying the exemption.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.