BILL NUMBER: SB 1365 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 69
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE JULY 10, 2012
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR JULY 10, 2012
PASSED THE SENATE MAY 14, 2012
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY JUNE 25, 2012
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 30, 2012
INTRODUCED BY Senator Negrete McLeod
FEBRUARY 24, 2012
An act to amend Section 1799.106 of the Health and Safety Code,
relating to emergency medical services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1365, Negrete McLeod. Emergency medical services: immunity.
Existing law limits the civil liability of a licensed nurse who in
good faith renders emergency care at the scene of an emergency which
occurs outside both the place and the course of that person's
employment, as specified.
Existing law also limits the civil liability of firefighters,
police officers or other law enforcement officers, and emergency
medical technicians who render emergency medical services at the
scene of an emergency, as specified.
This bill would extend the above-described liability limit
applicable to firefighters, police officers or other law enforcement
officers, and emergency medical technicians to emergency medical
services rendered during an emergency air or ground ambulance
transport, and emergency medical services rendered by a registered
nurse, as defined, at the scene of an emergency or during an
emergency air or ground ambulance transport.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares both of the
following:
(a) Since the original enactment of Section 1799.106 of the Health
and Safety Code, registered nurses have become more directly
involved in the provision of emergency medical services, as crew
members in both air and ground ambulances.
(b) Registered nurses should be encouraged to provide emergency
medical services in air and ground ambulances in the same way as
firefighters, law enforcement, and EMT-Is and EMT-Ps.
SEC. 2. Section 1799.106 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
1799.106. (a) In addition to the provisions of Section 1799.104
of this code, Section 2727.5 of the Business and Professions Code,
and Section 1714.2 of the Civil Code, and in order to encourage the
provision of emergency medical services by firefighters, police
officers or other law enforcement officers, EMT-I, EMT-II, EMT-P, or
registered nurses, a firefighter, police officer or other law
enforcement officer, EMT-I, EMT-II, EMT-P, or registered nurse who
renders emergency medical services at the scene of an emergency or
during an emergency air or ground ambulance transport shall only be
liable in civil damages for acts or omissions performed in a grossly
negligent manner or acts or omissions not performed in good faith. A
public agency employing such a firefighter, police officer or other
law enforcement officer, EMT-I, EMT-II, EMT-P, or registered nurse
shall not be liable for civil damages if the firefighter, police
officer or other law enforcement officer, EMT-I, EMT-II, EMT-P, or
registered nurse is not liable.
(b) For purposes of this section, "registered nurse" means a
registered nurse trained in emergency medical services and licensed
pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2700) of Division 2 of
the Business and Professions Code.