February 11, 2019 NOTICE OF INTENT: Disease Reporting Requirements, Public Health Immunization Requirements, Anti-Rabies for Dogs and Cats

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Feb 11, 2019 - Notice of Intent 

In accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, (R.S. 49:950, et seq.) as amended, the state health officer, acting through the Department of Health and Hospitals/Office of Public Health, is promulgating a proposed rule to amend Part II (The Control of Diseases) and Part III (The Control of Rabies and Other Zoonotic Diseases of the Louisiana State Sanitary Code (LAC 51).

 The Part II amendments are proposed in order to clarify disease reporting requirements and expand the list of reportable diseases and conditions to reflect current public health concerns. Chapter 7 will be updated so the Louisiana Immunization schedule will keep in accordance with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) of the United States Public Health Service.

 The Part III amendment is proposed in order to update and clarify the vaccination standards and re-vaccination intervals for dogs and cats to meet current national guidelines, as well as updating required actions for domestic animals bitten by rabid animals to conform to current national best practices.

Click here to visit the DOA OSR website.

Click here to view a copy of the proposed Disease Reporting Requirements, Public Health Immunization Requirements, and Anti-Rabies Requirements for Dogs and Cats rule. Language that is to be added to the existing rule underscored and any language that is to be deleted from the existing agency rule in struck-through type.

The expected publication date of the Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Louisiana Register is February 20, 2019.

The anticipated effective date of the proposed rule is May 20, 2019.