HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 767        FILED ON: 1/14/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1888

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Sean Garballey

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relating to liability protection for disaster volunteers.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/14/2019

Walter F. Timilty

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

1/25/2019

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

1/28/2019

John C. Velis

4th Hampden

1/29/2019

Denise C. Garlick

13th Norfolk

1/29/2019

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

1/29/2019

Peter Capano

11th Essex

1/30/2019

Patrick M. O'Connor

Plymouth and Norfolk

1/30/2019

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

1/30/2019

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

1/31/2019

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

1/31/2019

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

1/31/2019

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

1/31/2019

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

1/31/2019

Daniel J. Ryan

2nd Suffolk

1/31/2019

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

1/31/2019

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

1/31/2019

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Bristol

2/1/2019

Daniel M. Donahue

16th Worcester

2/1/2019

Harold P. Naughton, Jr.

12th Worcester

2/1/2019

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/1/2019

David Allen Robertson

19th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

2/1/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

2/1/2019

Carlos González

10th Hampden

2/1/2019

Stephan Hay

3rd Worcester

2/1/2019

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

2/1/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 767        FILED ON: 1/14/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1888

By Mr. Garballey of Arlington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1888) of Sean Garballey and others relative to liability protection for disaster volunteers.  Public Health.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act relating to liability protection for disaster volunteers.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 1: Chapter 112 of the general laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following sections:-

Section 12C ½:-

Whereas licensed registered nurses are critical, necessary volunteers in disasters and emergencies occurring in the commonwealth, in order to provide for community need, as volunteers they require protection from the commonwealth for licensure board discipline; for civil and/or criminal liability and/or prosecution for injury or harm caused to a patient cared for while serving as a volunteer; and for  protection from injury or harm he/she personally suffers during the course or as a result of his/her volunteer service.;

Section 12 C ½  (a) As used in this section, the following words, shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Disaster”, an emergency detrimental to the public health declared by the governor of the commonwealth of Massachusetts under section 2A of Chapter 17; a state of emergency declared by the governor under chapter 639 of the Acts of 1950 (“Civil Defense Act”); and/or a public health incident where local public health authorities have issued a request for volunteers because local resources have been or are expected to be exhausted or are insufficient.

“Patient'', an individual who receives health services from a licensed registered nurse during a declared disaster or emergency.

“Volunteer”, a licensed registered nurse in good standing who volunteers his or her services in a disaster or emergency without compensation or expectation of payment.

Section 12 C ½ (b) Exemption from licensure discipline and civil and criminal liability

12 C ½ (b) A registered nurse licensed in the commonwealth of Massachusetts with no encumbrance on his or her license who provides oversight or direct care to patients who are victims of a disaster or emergency declared by the governor of the commonwealth of Massachusetts or local public health authorities is not subject to licensure board discipline under sections 74 to 81C of chapter 112 of the general laws, or to civil or criminal liability or prosecution for any injury or harm that results from any act or omission that does not amount to criminal negligence:

Section 12 C ½ (c) Volunteer protection from harm

12 C ½ (c)  A volunteer as defined in 12 C ½ (a) who sustains injury, disability or who dies while serving as a volunteer shall be construed to be an employee of the commonwealth and shall be compensated in like manner as state employees are compensated under the provisions of sections 69 through 75 of chapter 152 of the general laws.