Provides civil immunity to licensed health care professionals who provide care at health care facilities for no compensation.
Impact
The implications of A2072 on state laws are significant as it establishes clearer guidelines on the liability of health care professionals in the context of uncompensated care. By expanding immunity, the bill is designed to promote a more robust volunteer health care system, which could alleviate some obstacles faced by clinics that depend on volunteer practitioners. The bill also includes provisions that require professionals to inform patients about the immunity status prior to treatment, ensuring transparency and reinforcing the professional's duty of care.
Summary
Assembly Bill A2072 aims to provide civil immunity to licensed health care professionals who render care and treatment at licensed health care facilities or nonprofit clinics without expectations of compensation. This legislation acknowledges the importance of volunteer health care services and seeks to encourage more professionals to offer their services without the fear of liability for unintended injuries. The act specifies that immunity is granted only for care provided without compensation, thereby excluding situations involving gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Contention
Some points of contention surrounding the bill include the possible risk of healthcare professionals becoming less diligent due to the immunity provisions. Critics of A2072 may worry that by providing immunity, there might be less incentive for health care providers to uphold high standards of care, particularly when patients are receiving treatment without billing. Moreover, opponents might raise concerns about how immunity is defined and enforced, fearing that it might protect negligent behavior under the guise of 'good faith' actions.
Requires parents and guardians be provided access to medical records of minor patients; provides immunity to health care facilities and professionals that provide access to records.
Requires parents and guardians be provided access to medical records of minor patients; provides immunity to health care facilities and professionals that provide access to records.
Enacting the help not harm act, restricting use of state funds to promote gender transitioning, prohibiting healthcare providers from providing gender transition care to children whose gender identity is inconsistent with the child's sex, authorizing a civil cause of action against healthcare providers for providing such treatments, requiring professional discipline against a healthcare provider who performs such treatment, prohibiting professional liability insurance from covering damages for healthcare providers that provide gender transition treatment to children and adding violation of the act to the definition of unprofessional conduct for physicians.