In-room nursing home cameras could soon be operating in a sixth state, thanks to the signature of Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D).
After a months-long debate, Bel Edwards on Thursday approved a bill allowing family members to install video monitoring systems in resident rooms, if certain conditions are met.
Meanwhile, Missouri officials gave a similar bill another pass.
Louisiana’s law would go into effect Jan. 1. It will prevent nursing homes from prohibiting cameras or retaliating against residents who to use them. Nursing homes will have to provide forms to nursing home residents or their legal guardians outlining the ways the cameras can be installed, and there is a lengthy list of conditions.
The Louisiana Nursing Home Association had argued against the bill’s passage, but several family members of residents who’d been harmed in nursing homes also gave testimony about how cameras might have helped them.
On Friday, Missour Gov. Mike Parson (R) signed a new elder abuse reporting law, that at one time had included a provision for in-room cameras. But a legislative assistant told McKnight’s the amendment was stripped before final passage.
This is at least the third time since 2016 that Missouri has failed to approve “granny cams.”
As of last year, five other states had nursing home camera laws, with additional rules for assisted living in two.
