Committee backs bill to increase access to qualified forensic examiners in emergency departments

Representative Travis Johnson asked the committee to advance HB 182, a bill requiring hospitals with emergency departments to ensure access to a qualified health‑care professional to perform forensic sexual‑assault examinations. Johnson said the measure addresses long-standing gaps in rural coverage and evidence collection that impede prosecutions.

"When someone has the courage to come to the emergency room and there is no one to perform the exam, we lose precious evidence," Johnson said during his opening remarks. He described discussions with LDH and stakeholders and acknowledged the program was still being refined.

Law‑enforcement witnesses said the bill would help investigations. "We've had to transport victims 45 minutes to an hour away to have a DNA sample taken," Sheriff Hedrick testified, urging passage. Mindy Escuday, a forensic nurse who runs a mobile SANE program covering seven parishes, described a sustained 24/7 coverage model and told the committee a regional, mobile approach can work.

Hospital representatives and the Louisiana Hospital Association urged caution, warning about rural staffing limits, training and costs. "Requiring every hospital to operate a full SANE program overnight could be inefficient and may produce evidence that is challenged in court if not properly supported," Greg Waddell of the Louisiana Hospital Association said.

The committee adopted several amendments narrowing the scope and clarifying training standards, including language allowing documented training and agreements with regional SANE programs, and accepted a committee amendment to make the bill effective two years after enactment to allow time for training, preceptorships and a statewide coordination plan to be stood up. LDH officials clarified the intent is not to train forensic nurses from scratch but to ensure documented proficiency among ED staff and to work on a uniform approach.

With those changes the committee reported HB 182 favorably with amendments; the sponsor pledged to continue interagency work and to refine implementation details before floor consideration.

The hearing included detailed discussion of certification timelines, preceptorship requirements and pilot models such as mobile SANE units and statewide coordination through the attorney general's office or LDH.