HR 6283 · 116th Congress 2019–2021, ended

Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2020

Introduced Mar 13, 2020 Originated House Sponsor Raul Ruiz D-CA

Latest action · Mar 13, 2020 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

IntroducedMar 13, 2020
Passed HouseNot reached
Passed SenateNot reached
To the PresidentNot reached
Became lawNot reached

Summary

Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2020

This bill extends liability protection for harm caused by acts or omissions by volunteer health care professionals in the course of providing certain health care services during specified public-health or national emergencies or major disasters. However, such liability protection shall not apply if (1) the harm was caused by willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct, or a conscious flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of the individual harmed; or (2) the health care professional provided services under the influence of alcohol or an intoxicating drug.

Cosponsors 16

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Mar 13, 2020 to Dec 10, 2020; 15 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

Seat	Cosponsor		Signed on
D-CA	Ami Bera	Original	Mar 13, 2020
R-MD	Andy Harris	Original	Mar 13, 2020
R-OH	Bob Gibbs	Original	Mar 13, 2020
D-CA	Brad Sherman	Original	Mar 13, 2020
R-PA	Brian K. Fitzpatrick	Original	Mar 13, 2020
D-MD	C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger	Original	Mar 13, 2020
R-TN	David P. Roe	Original	Mar 13, 2020
D-GA	David Scott	Original	Mar 13, 2020
R-NY	Elise M. Stefanik	Original	Mar 13, 2020
R-AR	J. French Hill	Original	Mar 13, 2020
D-WA	Kim Schrier	Original	Mar 13, 2020
R-IN	Larry Bucshon	Original	Mar 13, 2020
R-KS	Roger Marshall	Original	Mar 13, 2020
R-OH	Steve Stivers	Original	Mar 13, 2020
R-MS	Steven M. Palazzo	Original	Mar 13, 2020
D-CA	Grace F. Napolitano		Dec 10, 2020

Committees 2

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

Chamber	Committee	What it did
House	Energy and Commerce Committee	Referred Mar 13, 2020
House	Judiciary Committee	Referred Mar 13, 2020

Actions 2

Everything that happened, newest first.

Mar 13, 2020Introduced in House
Mar 13, 2020Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Article I, section 8, Clauses 1 and 18,of the United States Constitution, to provide for the general welfare and make all laws necessary and proper to carry out the powers of Congress.

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 49, March 13, 2020, page H1694.

Related bills 4

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

Bill	Title	Relationship	Latest action
HR 748	CARES Act	Related bill	Jul 23, 2020
S 1350	Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2019	Related bill	May 7, 2019
S 3548	CARES Act	Related bill	Jun 3, 2020
HR 5239	Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2021	Reintroduced Bill	Nov 1, 2022

Titles 2

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced: To amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster.
Short Title(s) as Introduced: Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2020

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Health.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

Mar 13, 2020Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.