,,ii #aai? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #djhf ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,m>* #ab1 #bjbf,mr4 ,murphy introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,heal?1 ,education1 ,labor1 & ,p5sions ,a ,,bill ,to e/abli% protections = heal? c>e provid]s :o raise conc]ns ab\t ! quality ( heal? c>e s]vices1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,pati5t ,safety & ,:i/lebl[] ,protections ,act4 #b4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,! t]m communicate1 ) respect to heal? c>e safety in=mation1 includes writt5 or oral communications4 7#b7 ,! t]m gov]nm5t (ficial means any local1 ,/ate1 ,tribal1 or ,f$]al gov]nm5tal (ficial1 includ+ municipal mayors & _! /aff1 ,/ate gov]nors & _! /aff1 ,/ate legislators & _! /aff1 ,f$]al legislators & _! /aff1 & /aff or lead]s ( ,f$]al ag5cies or o!r ,f$]al au?orities4 7#c7 ,! t]m heal? c>e facility means a facility 9 :i* heal? c>e s]vices are provid$1 includ+ any hospitals1 ambulatory surg]y c5t]s1 skill$ nurs+ facilities1 home heal? ag5cies1 cl9ics1 urg5t c>e c5t]s1 physician (fices1 d5tal (fices1 end-/age r5al facilities1 *iropractic (fices1 optometry (fices1 oph?almology (fices1 nurs+ homes1 behavioral heal? c5t]s1 community m5tal heal? c5t]s1 addiction treatm5t facilities1 rehabilitation c5t]s1 hospices1 outpati5t !rapy facilities1 & f$]ally-qualifi$ heal? c5t]s4 7#d7 ,! t]m heal? c>e practition] means an individual :o is lic5s$ by a ,/ate1 or o!rwise au?oriz$1 to provide heal? c>e s]vices4 7#e7 ,! t]m heal? c>e s]vice means c>e1 treatm5t1 s]vices1 or o!r proc$ures to ma9ta91 diagnose1 or o!rwise affect an individual's physical or m5tal condition4 ,su* t]m includes m$ical1 p>am$ical1 nurs+1 *iropractic1 d5tal1 behavioral1 psy*iatric1 psy*ological1 & vision s]vices4 7#f7 ,! t]m pati5t safety conc]n means a communication reg>d+ a conc]n t mat]ially affects ! heal? ( "o ( m pati5ts or t has ! pot5tial to mat]ially affect ! heal? ( "o or m pati5ts1 includ+ a conc]n ab\t-- 7,a7 ! quality ( heal? c>e1 pati5t safety1 or /aff+ practices1 su* z ! type ( heal? c>e practition] c>+ = pati5ts or ! numb] ( pati5ts = :om a heal? c>e practition] is responsible2 or 7,b7 ! suffici5cy ( equipm5t or supplies = ! heal? c>e s]vices provid$1 or ! appropriat5ess ( heal? c>e s]vices or ref]rals = pati5ts4 7#g7 ,! t]m retaliation means any adv]se employm5t action aga9/ a heal? c>e practition] or any o!r mat]ially adv]se action t w\ld dissuade a reasonable heal? c>e practition] f rais+ pati5t safety conc]ns1 includ+ adv]se actions aga9/ a heal? c>e practition] :o is no long] employ$ by1 contract+ )1 or o!rwise provid+ heal? c>e s]vices at ! heal? facility to :i* ! pati5t safety conc]ns relate4 #c4 ,prohibition on retaliation 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,a heal? c>e facility may n retaliate aga9/ a heal? c>e practition] = communicat+ ab\t pati5t safety conc]ns1 includ+ any writt5 or oral pati5t safety conc]ns communicat$ to-- 7#a7 any sup]visors1 colleagues1 or ano!r individuals ) au?ority ov] heal? c>e s]vices or ! cl9ical or f9ancial op]ations ( ! heal? c>e facility2 7#b7 a ,/ate au?ority ) ov]sight ( heal? c>e s]vices1 heal? c>e practition]s1 or heal? c>e facilities2 7#c7 a gov]nm5t (ficial1 includ+ communications at a he>+1 9 response to writt5 or oral que/ions f gov]nm5t (ficials1 or 9 a meet+1 phone call1 email1 or o!r communication2 7#d7 a pati5t safety organization1 z def9$ 9 section #iba ( ! ,public ,heal? ,s]vice ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bii;b-#ba72 7#e7 any individual1 organization1 or o!r body inve/igat+ pati5t safety conc]ns 9 response to a communication made by ano!r heal? c>e practition]2 or 7#f7 only aft] #ij days foll[+ a communication to a p]son describ$ 9 p>agraphs 7#a71 7#b71 or 7#d7 t did n result 9 significant corrective action1 to ! news m$ia or press4 7b7 ,rebuttable presumption ,!re %all be a rebuttable presumption t any adv]se employm5t action or o!r mat]ially adv]se action aga9/ ! heal? c>e practition] )9 #ahj days ( ! heal? c>e practition] communicat+ ab\t pati5t safety conc]ns is retaliation4 7c7 ,attribution to heal? c>e facility ,any retaliation by a heal? c>e practition]1 manag]1 sup]visor1 executive1 /aff+ company1 provid] organization t contracts to provide s]vices at ! heal? c>e facility1 or managem5t s]vices company %all be attribut$ to ! heal? c>e facility t is ! subject ( pati5t safety conc]ns4 ,a heal? c>e facility may seek indemnification or contribution f a /aff+ company1 provid] organization t contracts to provide s]vices at ! heal? c>e facility1 or managem5t s]vices company = retaliation attribut$ to ! heal? c>e facility "u ?is subsection4 7d7 ,cl>ification ,no?+ 9 ?is section prohibits any adv]se employm5t action or o!r mat]ially adv]se action aga9/ a heal? c>e practition] t is n 9 retaliation = communicat+ ab\t pati5t safety conc]ns4 7e7 ,inapplicability ( c]ta9 contractual provisions ,not)/&+ any o!r provision ( law1 any contractual provision t w\ld prohibit a provid] f communicat+ ab\t pati5t safety conc]ns1 or o!rwise speak+ tru?fully ab\t ! quality ( heal? c>e s]vices1 %all be null & void4 7f7 ,inapplicability ( non-,competition provisions ,a heal? c>e practition] :o communicates ab\t pati5t safety conc]ns %all be releas$ f any exi/+ non-competition agreem5t ) ! employ] or contractor ( ! heal? c>e practition] if ! non-competition agreem5t relates to ! heal? c>e practition]'s employm5t or contract "w at ! heal? facility t is ! subject ( pati5t safety conc]ns4 7g7 ,bad fai? communications ,no?+ 9 ?is section %all be con/ru$ z prohibit+ a civil lawsuit aga9/ a heal? c>e practition] :o communicat$ ab\t pati5t safety conc]ns 9 bad fai?1 if an indep5d5t inve/igation has det]m9$ t ! pati5t safety conc]ns 7 n valid4 #d4 ,en=cem5t 7a7 ,individual actions 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,a heal? c>e facility t retaliates aga9/ a heal? c>e practition] = communicat+ pati5t safety conc]ns is liable to t practition] 9 an am\nt equal to ! sums det]m9$ 9 p>agraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,damages ,9 an individual action "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! sum aw>d$ = liability is equal to-- 7,a7 actual damage su/a9$ by ! heal? c>e practition]2 7,b7 attorney's fees & co/s2 & 7,c7 punitive damages ( up to #a1jjj1jjj4 7b7 ,class actions 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,class actions are au?oriz$ = heal? c>e practition]s :o communicate pati5t safety conc]ns at ! same heal? c>e facility or at diff]5t heal? c>e facilities "u ! same managem5t or own]%ip4 ,! subject ( pati5t safety conc]ns or ! =m ( retaliation ne$ n be id5tical to e/abli% a common s*eme ( retaliat+ aga9/ heal? c>e practition]s :o communicate pati5t safety conc]ns4 7#b7 ,damages ,9 a class action "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! sum aw>d$ = liability is equal to-- 7,a7 ! great] ( #aj1jjj or actual damages = ea* nam$ individual2 7,b7 a total am\nt = all o!r class memb]s1 )\t reg>d to a m9imum individual recov]y am\nt1 ( ! greate/ (-- 7i7 actual damages2 7ii7 #ejj1jjj2 7iii7 #a p]c5t ( ! net wor? ( ! def5dant heal? c>e facility2 or 7iv7 if ! def5dant heal? c>e facility is fully own$1 directly or indirectly1 by ano!r entity or entities1 &1 among all su* entities t own su* facility1 ! entity ) ! highe/ net wor? owns at lea/ #a o!r heal? c>e facility at :i* retaliation = rais+ pati5t safety conc]ns is alleg$ 9 ano!r action "u ?is section or 9 a compla9t describ$ 9 subsection 7d77#a71 #a p]c5t ( ! net wor? ( su* entity ) ! highe/ net wor? t owns ! heal? c>e facility2 & 7,c7 attorney's fees & co/s4 7c7 ,/atute ( limitations ,any action alleg+ retaliation = communicat+ pati5t safety conc]ns "u ?is section may be comm5c$ n lat] ?an #c ye>s aft] ! la/ action t is alleg$ to be retaliatory occurs4 7d7 ,requirem5ts prior ,to br+ an action ,an action alleg+ retaliation = communicat+ pati5t safety conc]ns may be fil$-- 7#a7 aft] ! heal? c>e practition]-- 7,a7 files a compla9t ) ! ,/ate au?ority t lic5ses or o!rwise ov]sees ! heal? c>e facility t is ! subject ( ! compla9t2 & 7,b7 9 ! case t ! heal? facility t is ! subject ( pati5t safety conc]ns is a hospital1 files a compla9t ) ! ,jo9t ,commission on ,hospital ,accr$itation2 & 7#b7 n e>li] ?an ! date on :i*-- 7,a7 ! ,/ate au?ority describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a77;,a7 completes its inve/igation pursuant to su* p>agraph1 &1 z applicable1 ! ,jo9t ,commission on ,hospital ,accr$itation describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a77;,b7 completes its inve/igation pursuant to su* p>agraph2 or 7,b7 #ahj days aft] ! fil+ ( a compla9t "u p>agraph 7#a77;,a7 &1 if applicable1 a compla9t "u p>agraph 7#a77;,b74 #e4 ,pr(essional liability actions ,9 any civil or crim9al action aga9/ a heal? c>e facility or heal? c>e practition] relat+ to pr(essional liability1 communications ab\t pati5t safety conc]ns made by ! heal? c>e practition] t is ! subject ( ! civil or crim9al action may n be us$ to draw an adv]se inf]5ce ab\t ! quality ( heal? c>e s]vices provid$ by ! heal? c>e practition]4 ,! prec$+ s5t5ce %all only apply if communications ab\t pati5t safety conc]ns 7 made by ! heal? c>e practition] prior to ! fil+ ( ! civil or crim9al action aga9/ ! heal? c>e facility or heal? c>e practition]4 #f4 ,requir+ ! report+ & resolution ( pati5t safety conc]ns = provid]s ( s]vices p>ticipat+ 9 ,m$ic>e 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,section #ahff7;a77#a7 ( ! ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie;cc7a77#a77 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by mov+ subp>agraphs 7,w7 & 7,x7 #b ems to ! left2 7#b7 9 subp>agraph 7,x71 by /rik+ & at ! end2 7#c7 9 subp>agraph 7,y71 by /rik+ ! p]iod at ! end & ins]t+ 1 &2 & 7#d7 by ins]t+ aft] subp>agraph 7,y7 ! foll[+ new subp>agraph3 7,z7 to e/abli%-- 7i7 a me*anism t all[s a heal? c>e provid] or practition] to anonym\sly report pati5t safety conc]ns2 & 7ii7 a process = inve/igat+ & address+ any pati5t safety conc]n report$ to ! provid] ( s]vices4 4 7b7 ,effective date ,! am5dm5ts made by subsection 7a7 %all take effect #a ye> aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act4 #g4 ,impact on o!r laws ) respect to report+ pati5t safety conc]ns ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act1 includ+ ! am5dm5ts made by ?is ,act1 %all be con/ru$ to limit or sup]s$e ! protections = heal? c>e provid]s ) respect to report+ pati5t safety ev5ts pursuant to "p ,c ( title ,,ix ( ! ,public ,heal? ,s]vice ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bii;b-#ba et seq47 or any o!r ,f$]al or ,/ate law on pati5t safety report+4