Mitchell bill extends Samaritan law to school sports
An update to Colorado’s Good Samaritan law—making it easier for off-duty health care workers to offer emergency assistance at school sporting events—was approved by the Senate on second reading Monday.
Republican Senator Shawn Mitchell’s bill will make clear that the law covers doctors and other health care professionals in such circumstances in order to ward off frivolous lawsuits.
“If there is an emergency injury at a high school sporting event people want to be able to respond without fear of liability,” said Mitchell, of Broomfield.
The Colorado High School Activities Association inspired Mitchell’s bill because current law is too vague when defining “persons” exempt from liability for rendering emergency assistance. Mitchell’s bill specifies who is covered by Colorado’s Good Samaritan Law. Its passage will insure that persons rendering emergency care during high school athletics are protected.
The only opposition to the bill came from the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association.
Although the bill appears to enjoy broad, bipartisan support, two Democrats
– Sen. John Morse of Colorado Springs and Sen. Brandon Shaffer of Longmont – were in the minority voting against the measure in the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.
Morse said in committee that the bill wasn’t necessary, but Mitchell, who is an attorney, strongly disagreed.
“Any additional legal assurances we can give health care professionals against unwarranted litigation are not only necessary but vital to letting them step in and help out at a critical moment,” Mitchell said in remarks after the Senate debate Monday. “This measure could someday save a young athlete’s life.”
Filed under: Colorado Senate News, Sen. Mitchell