(R) Sen Robert Mills, Minden
A bill to allow clergy members into healthcare facilities to visit patients during public health emergencies unanimously passed during the special session and was signed into law by Governor Edwards. Bill sponsor, freshman Minden Senator Robert Mills says now public health officials need to craft rules and regulations for patient access.
“It’s just a process formality of getting some rules in place, and the opinion of the legislature was that hospitals and nursing home facilities need to do whatever takes at a minimum let pastors get in and see these people,” said Mills.
Healthcare facilities will also receive immunity from most civil lawsuits for injury or death for the exposure of clergy members to COVID or other infectious diseases. Mills says most clergy members do not have problems with issuing immunity.
“And every pastor I’ve talked to as I was crafting this was glad to sign an indemnity of that sort, obviously their interest is in the patient,” said Mills.
Mills is hoping to meet with public health officials and have rules in place in the next several months, he’s been informed it can be a long and tedious process. Mills says it was important that the intent of the bill be known.
“I don’t want anyone telling me or my family that we can’t celebrate or mourn with our pastor if that’s the case,” said Mills.
Comments