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Committee advances unanimous bills to protect students who render aid and overdose responders
Summary
The committee unanimously passed House Bill 1944 to expand safe-harbor immunity for people seeking medical attention for alcohol poisoning and House Bill 1945 to extend similar protections for drug overdoses; counsel said both take effect in 60 days and carry no amendments.
The House Judiciary Committee unanimously reported two bills designed to protect people who seek emergency medical help for others. Representative Friel described House Bill 1944 as closing a loophole that left some students who rendered aid vulnerable to reckless-endangerment charges after a Bloomsburg University incident.
"When we put somebody in a position where they have to consider whether or not they are going to be charged with a crime if they help someone, we are setting up situations where someone walks away when otherwise they would have helped," Representative Kincaid said in support.
Committee counsel said HB1944 expands the safe-harbor provisions in Title 18 to provide immunity from prosecution for reckless endangerment when an individual seeks medical attention for another due to alcohol poisoning; the counsel said the bill takes effect in 60 days and has no amendments.
Counsel also described House Bill 1945 as expanding immunity under the Controlled Substances Act to include protection for those who seek medical attention for someone experiencing a drug overdose; counsel said that bill also takes effect in 60 days and had no amendments. Both bills were reported unanimously and will be sent to the House floor.
What happens next: Both bills go to the full House for consideration; counsel recorded the 60-day effective period and said no committee amendments were filed.
