Provides civil immunity to licensed health care professionals who provide care at health care facilities for no compensation.
Impact
If enacted, A2651 would amend Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes, effectively creating a layer of legal protection for healthcare professionals who do not charge for their services. This could lead to an increase in volunteer healthcare services, as professionals will be more inclined to contribute to the community without the fear of lawsuits related to their medical decisions or actions. However, the bill explicitly states that immunity would not apply in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct, ensuring that there remains accountability among healthcare providers.
Summary
Assembly Bill A2651 seeks to provide civil immunity to licensed healthcare professionals who offer medical care at licensed healthcare facilities without any expectation of compensation. This legislation is particularly aimed at protecting providers who volunteer their services or work in non-profit clinics, thereby allowing them to assist patients without the risk of legal repercussions for any personal injuries that may result from the care they provide. The intent is to encourage more healthcare professionals to engage in volunteer work and provide care to those in need, especially in underserved communities.
Contention
Notably, the legislation also stipulates that healthcare professionals must inform patients of their immunity status prior to treatment, fostering transparency. While proponents of the bill argue that it promotes civic engagement among medical professionals, critics may voice concerns about the potential for lax standards of care, as the boundary between voluntary service and professional accountability needs to be clearly defined. There could be varied opinions on whether this immunity might discourage diligence in maintaining high standards of medical care.
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.