Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 40:31.28

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Person: means an individual, a public or private corporation, an association, a partnership, a public body created by or pursuant to state law, the state of Louisiana, an agency or political subdivision of the state, a federally recognized Indian tribe, the United States government, a political subdivision of the United States government, and any officer, employee, and agent of one of those entities. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 40:5.8
  • State health officer: means the legally appointed or acting state health officer as defined in La. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 40:5.8

A.  The director of the treatment facility, upon the recommendation of the state health officer or his designee, or the court may discharge the person.  The director and the official making the recommendation shall not be legally responsible to any person for the subsequent acts or behavior of a person discharged in good faith and in accordance with the provisions of this Part.

B.(1)  A person who is committed to a treatment facility for active tuberculosis may be conditionally discharged for a period of up to one year by the director, upon the recommendation of the state health officer or his designee, or by a court of competent jurisdiction after a hearing.  The person may be required to report for outpatient treatment as a condition of his release.  The terms and conditions of the conditional discharge shall be specifically set forth in writing and signed by the person.  A copy of the conditional discharge shall be given to the person and explained to him before he is discharged.

(2)  If the person is conditionally discharged by the director upon the recommendation of the state health officer or his designee, a copy of the conditional discharge shall be sent to the court which judicially committed him and to the person’s counsel of record.  If the person is conditionally discharged by the court, a copy of the conditional discharge shall be sent to the director of the treatment facility to which the person has been committed, the state health officer or his designee,  and the committed person’s counsel of record.

(3)  The director, upon the recommendation of the state health officer or his designee, or the court may extend the conditional discharge of a person for a period of up to two years and the person may be required to report for outpatient treatment as a condition of his release.  The terms and conditions of the extension of the conditional discharge shall be specifically set forth in writing and signed by the person.  A copy of the extension of the conditional discharge shall be given to the person and explained to him.

(4)  If a conditional discharge is extended by the director upon the recommendation of the state health officer or his designee, a copy of the extension shall be sent to the court which judicially committed the person and to the person’s counsel of record.  If the conditional discharge is extended by the court, a copy of the extension shall be sent to the director, to the state health officer or his designee, and to the person’s counsel of record.

(5)  If a person does not comply with the terms and conditions of his conditional discharge, he shall be subject to any of the procedures for involuntary treatment, including but not limited to the issuance of an order for protective custody.  A conditionally discharged person who is confined pursuant to any of these involuntary procedures shall have all rights of a person committed involuntarily, including the right to periodic reports and review and an annual hearing pursuant to the provisions of this Part.

Acts 1995, No. 373, §1, eff. June 16, 1995.