Bill > A06835

This bill modifies existing laws in the education and public health codes to change rules about discovering testimony in medical malpractice cases. Currently, members of medical review committees, quality assurance review committees, and incident investigation groups are protected from being liable for damages when they make recommendations or take actions within their professional scope, and their meeting records and discussions are generally not subject to disclosure in legal proceedings. The bill specifically alters language to remove the word "not" from a clause about testimony prohibition, which effectively means that statements made by meeting attendees who are parties to an action or proceeding being reviewed can now potentially be discovered and used in legal proceedings. This changes previous protections that kept such statements confidential, potentially making it easier for plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases to access internal review committee information. The bill will take effect 180 days after becoming law and will apply to all actions and proceedings commenced on or after that date, allowing time for medical and legal institutions to adjust to the new rules.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A6835