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Committee roundup: Health & Welfare reports multiple bills favorably, including behavioral‑health workforce, rural provider fixes and local hospital measures

Senate Committee on Health and Welfare · March 25, 2026

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Summary

On March 25 the Senate Health and Welfare Committee reported multiple bills favorable: SB54 (cosmetology scope), SB52 (benefits transfer for removed children), SB113 (local hospital assessment), SB168 (ADRA modernization/substitute), SB222 (rural behavioral‑health streamlining), SB359 (local hospital board terms), plus the larger SB219, SB43 and SB311 noted elsewhere.

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee on March 25 moved a slate of bills forward to the Senate floor by unanimous consent. Items reported favorable included small, local and technical measures as well as larger policy pieces.

Reported favorable by the committee (motions and sponsors): SB54 (add blow‑drying to aestheticians' scope; motion by Senator Luno), SB52 (require DCFS notification to LDH to transfer benefits; motion by Senator Andrews), SB113 (local provider participation fund conduit change; motion by Senator Andrews), SB168 (ADRA modernization reported by substitute; motion by Senator Boudreau), SB222 (rural mental‑health provider streamlining and inclusion of PAs as medical directors; motion by Senator Andrews), SB359 (local hospital board term alignment; motion by Senator Owen).

Each of those bills was accompanied by stakeholder testimony or technical amendments. SB168 was reported by substitute after sponsors and LDH discussed credentialing, background checks and supervision requirements for peer support specialists. SB222 adopted Amendment 11‑96 to allow physician assistants to serve as medical directors in some rural provider settings. Several bills were locally focused and were moved as local business.

The committee adjourned without objection after reporting the agenda items. Formal motions were handled largely by unanimous consent, and the committee did not record roll‑call tallies during the meeting.