Committee advances Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies bill after contentious debate over malpractice time limits and ‘tail’ insurance

A House companion to the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act was presented to the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee and approved after an extended hearing that centered on a contested provision reducing the statute of limitations for malpractice claims arising during childbirth.

The sponsor introduced the measure as the House companion bill to the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act, noting it had been heard previously. The sponsor said little controversy attended the underlying maternal-health provisions but acknowledged the committee would debate a provision affecting malpractice claims timing.

Lamar Porter, a private attorney who represents parents and children in birth‑injury cases, testified in opposition to a change in the bill that would shorten the time frame for some birth‑injury lawsuits. Porter said he was “not against the overall thrust of the bill” but urged removal of the provision that would require parents of babies injured at birth to bring lawsuits within five years rather than the current longer period for minors. Porter warned the change would “create confusion” for cases with injuries occurring at…