HB 162 — Relating to the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1996; to amend Section 6-5-549.1 of the Code of Alabama 1975, to provide that the term "health care provider" as used in that act and the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1987 would include emergency medical services personnel and any emergency medical provider service.

HB162 INTRODUCEDENROLLED G8YX6C-1G8YX6C-2 By Representatives Oliver, Hurst RFD:

21-Mar-23 2023 Regular Session Page 0 G8YX6C-1HB162 03/09/2023Enrolled FCEnrolled, (L)An maAct, 2023-463 2A 4BILL SYNOPSIS:TO BE ENACTED AN ACT 8 Relating to the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1996;

This bill would amend the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1996 to provide that the term "health care provider" as used in that act and the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1987 would include emergency medical services personnel and any emergency medical provider service.

A BILL TO BE ENACTED AN ACT Relating to the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1996;

"§6-5-549.1 (a) This section and Sections 6-5-548 and 6-5-549 shall be known and may be cited as "The Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1996." Page 1 HB162 INTRODUCED (b) The Legislature of the State of Alabama finds and declares that a crisis continues to threaten the delivery and availability of medical services to the people of Alabama and the health and safety of the citizens of this state are in jeopardy as a result of this crisis.

In accordance with the previous declarations of the Legislature of Alabama in Sections 6-5-480 to 6-5-488, inclusive, 27-26-1 to 27-26-4, inclusive, and 27-26-20 to 27-26-43, inclusive, and Sections Page 1 HB162 Enrolled 6-5-540 to 6-5-552, inclusive, it is the declared intent of this Legislature to ensure that quality medical services continue to be available at reasonable costs to the citizens of the State of Alabama.

Because of the limited Page 2 HB162 INTRODUCED number of insurers offering professional liability coverage and because of the prejudice to the rights of defendant health care providers through the interjection of evidence of insurance, the interest of all citizens will best be served by prohibiting the introduction of evidence that a witness testifying at trial is insured by the same insurer as the defendant health care provider.

(c) For the purposes of this section and Sections Page 2 HB162 Enrolled 6-5-548 and 6-5-549, the terms used shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in Section 6-5-542.

Page 3 HB162 INTRODUCED (d) This section and Sections 6-5-548 and 6-5-549 are intended to supplement "The Alabama Medical Liability Act," Act 513, 1975 Regular Session and "The Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1987," Act 87-189, 1987 Regular Session and the legislative intent stated therein.

Notwithstanding Page 3 HB162 Enrolled the foregoing, this section shall not apply to an action filed against a podiatrist prior to March 7, 2006." Section 2.

Page 4 HB162 Enrolled 91 ________________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives 95 97 ________________________________________________ President and Presiding Officer of the Senate House of Representatives I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and was passed by the House 11-Apr-23.

John Treadwell Clerk Senate 25-Apr-23 Passed Page 5