Bill > HB766

This bill revises the disqualification grounds for members of a medical legal panel (a panel that reviews medical malpractice claims) by significantly expanding and clarifying the circumstances under which a panel member can or must be disqualified. The updated law provides a more comprehensive set of criteria for disqualification, including personal bias, conflicts of interest, economic interests, and potential witness status. Specifically, a panel member can now be disqualified if they have a personal bias, have a family member involved in the case, have an economic interest in the matter, or have previously served as a lawyer or healthcare provider in the case. Parties are allowed to file up to three disqualification requests for attorney panel members and three for healthcare provider panel members. The bill also introduces a process where the director must review disqualification affidavits, remove disqualified members, and select replacements. Additionally, the bill includes a provision allowing panel members to disclose potential disqualifying factors and seek agreement from parties to potentially waive disqualification, which must then be documented in the proceeding's record.

Justice

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC3180