SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – There are new statewide standards for sign language interpreters.

The Louisiana Department of Health, through the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf, has established minimum qualification, training, and registration requirements for sign language interpreters.

The new standards outline the education and skill level required for professional interpreters to work in Louisiana, and apply to health care providers, school districts, businesses, and courtrooms where interpreters are legally required.

LDH said these regulations are meant to ensure those who are deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing have access to the information and services they deserve.

“In Louisiana, public and private service providers have always been required to secure qualified sign language interpreters, but until now, there has never been a clear statewide definition of what ‘qualified’ means,” said Jana Broussard, acting executive director of the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf.

“These regulations provide clarity for both providers and recipients receiving sign language interpreting services and help ensure interpreters are appropriately qualified for the setting they are working in.”

Providers have until January 1, 2027, to comply with the new requirements, which were created in response to ACT 128 of the 2022 Regular Legislative Session.

The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf offers professional development opportunities to help interpreters meet the new qualifications. Along with one-on-one coaching, study groups, job shadowing opportunities, internships, and continuing education units.

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SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) – A statewide EMS conference held in Shreveport Friday (June 5) brought together EMS professionals, leaders, and industry partners from all over Louisiana.

The 2026 Louisiana State EMS Education Conference & Expo was held at the Shreveport Convention Center. The theme of the conference was “Honoring Our Past: Forging Our Future.” It’s one of the largest EMS events in the region, organizers say.

The conference is made possible through a partnership between:

The event focused on advancing emergency medical techniques through education, leadership development, clinical experience, workforce sustainability, and innovation. The conference was attended by EMRs, EMTs, paramedics, EMS educators, supervisors, emergency managers, nurses, physicians, public safety officials, students, and other healthcare industry leaders.

KSLA social coverage:

Participants at the conference were able to attend educational sessions, leadership forums, hands-on training classes, have access to networking opportunities, and see the latest technology, equipment, and services supporting emergency medical care.

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“This conference represents more than education—it represents the continued strength, resilience, and future of EMS in Louisiana,” said John P. Lane, president of the Louisiana Association of Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technicians. “We are bringing together providers and leaders from every corner of the profession to collaborate, learn, and continue advancing patient care across our state.”

There were several keynote speakers, including Jamie Pafford-Gresham and Dr. Bryan Bledsoe.

A Louisiana babysitter was arrested after a toddler fell into a pool and drowned after being left underwater for 20 minutes, according to authorities.

Joann Johnson, 37, was charged with one count of negligent homicide on Wednesday after the 3-year-old boy died in her in-home daycare in Prairieville on May 18, according to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Two young children in Johnson’s care were playing in the backyard that afternoon, “without any safety wear,” when the 3-year-old fell into the pool and drowned, cops wrote in a statement.

The toddler was unconscious for a whopping 20 minutes before Johnson was seen on surveillance footage pulling him out of the water, police said.

Emergency responders rushed to revive the boy with CPR, but he was ultimately pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Police filed an arrest warrant for Johnson following an investigation. The babysitter turned herself in on Wednesday and was booked into the Ascension Parish Jail.

Drowning is the number one cause of death for children 1-4 years old in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.