HEALTH/LDH: Provides relative to certain eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs (OR INCREASE GF EX See Note)

HLS 26RS-985 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 742
BY REPRESENTATIVE AMEDEE
HEALTH/LDH: Provides relative to certain eligibility requirements for certain public
assistance programs
1 AN ACT
2 To repeal R.S. 46:231.4 and Section 13 of Act No. 478 of the 2025 Regular Session of the
3 Legislature, relative to eligibility requirements for certain public assistance
4 programs; to repeal the requirement for immunizations to qualify for the Family
5 Independence Temporary Assistance Program and Medicaid.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 46:231.4 is hereby repealed in its entirety.
8 Section 2. The Department of Children and Family Services and the Louisiana
9 Department of Health shall amend or repeal any rule, policy, procedure, or eligibility
10 standard inconsistent with the provisions of this Act and shall administer the Family
11 Independence Temporary Assistance Program and Medicaid program in accordance with
12 applicable federal and state law.
13 Section 3. R.S. 46:231.4 as enacted by Section 13 of Act No. 478 of the 2025
14 Regular Session of the Legislature is hereby repealed in its entirety.
15 Session 4. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
16 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
17 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
18 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
19 effective on the day following such approval.
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HLS 26RS-985 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 742
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 742 Original 2026 Regular Session Amedee
Abstract: Repeals the requirement that a recipient of Medicaid or the Family Independence
Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP) be immunized as a condition of eligibility.
Present law requires the secretary of the Dept. of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and
the secretary of the La. Dept. of Health (LDH) to require each recipient of specified public
assistance programs, or the recipient’s parent or guardian, to provide sufficient evidence of
immunity or immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases according to a schedule
established by the office of public health, or show that an immunization program is in
progress.
Present law provides that failure to comply within a reasonable time after written notice will
result in suspension of public assistance benefits until compliance is demonstrated.
Present law exempts individuals from compliance if a physician provides a written statement
that an immunization is medically contraindicated or if the individual or parent or guardian
objects on religious grounds.
Present law requires DCFS and LDH to adopt rules and regulations to implement present law
and requires the office of public health to establish the required immunization schedule by
rule.
Present law requires LDH to seek any necessary federal waiver to ensure full federal
participation, to report the approval or denial of such waiver to the Senate and House health
and welfare committees, and provides that failure to obtain a waiver for one or more
programs does not prevent implementation of other programs once waivers are approved,
if required.
Present law applies to FITAP and medical assistance under the Medicaid program.
Present law defines “recipient” as a public assistance recipient under eighteen years of age
and all of the recipient’s dependents who are under eighteen years of age.
Proposed law repeals present law.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Repeals R.S. 46:231.4 and Act No. 478 of 2025 R.S., §13)
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