Delaware General Assembly

CHAPTER 265

FORMERLY

SENATE BILL NO. 147

AS AMENDED BY

SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 1

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS FROM LIABILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS RENDERING EMERGENCY CARE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 3001G, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strikethrough and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 3001G. Administration of naloxone by peace officers public safety personnel and the Community-Based Naloxone Access Program.

(a) A peace officer An individual who is public safety personnel is authorized to receive, carry, and administer the drug naloxone if the peace officer individual has completed a Department-approved training course. For purposes of this section, “public safety personnel” means as defined under § 9702 of this title.

(b) A peace officer Public safety personnel who, acting in good faith and after completing a Department-approved training course, administers the drug naloxone to an individual whom the officer public safety personnel reasonably believes to be undergoing an opioid-related drug overdose shall not be is not liable for damages for injuries or death sustained to the individual in connection with administering the drug, unless it is established that such injuries or death were caused wilfully, wantonly wantonly, recklessly, or by gross negligence on the part of the peace officer public safety personnel who administered the drug.

(c) Nothing in this chapter mandates that any law-enforcement an agency require its peace officers public safety personnel to carry or administer naloxone.

(e) DHSS shall create written and uniform treatment and care plans for emergency and critical patients statewide that constitute the standing orders for the administration of naloxone by peace officers public safety personnel and participants in the Community-Based Naloxone Access Program. The treatment protocol for naloxone administration under this chapter must be approved and signed by the State EMS Medical Director, or the Medical Director or the Director of the Division of Public Health, Department of Health and Social Services. Doctors A doctor prescribing naloxone who, acting in good faith, directly or by standing order, prescribe or dispense prescribes or dispenses the drug naloxone to a person who completes an approved-training program who, in the judgment of the health-care provider, is capable of administering the drug for an emergency opioid overdose, shall not be subject to disciplinary or other adverse action under any professional licensing statute, criminal liability, or liable for damages for injuries or death sustained to the individual in connection with administering the drug, unless it is established that such injuries or death were caused wilfully, wantonly, or by gross negligence on the part of the doctors doctor who signed the standing order and protocol.

(f) DHSS is authorized to oversee the implementation and monitoring of the Peace Officer Public Safety Personnel and Community-Based Naloxone Access Programs.

Section 2. Amend Section 6801, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 6801. Persons rendering emergency care exempt from liability; Advanced Life Support Standards Committee. liability.

(a) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of any public or private and special law, any person who voluntarily, without the expectation of monetary or other compensation from the person aided or treated, renders first aid, emergency treatment or rescue assistance to a person who is unconscious, ill, injured or in need of rescue assistance, or any person in obvious physical distress or discomfort shall not be liable for damages for injuries alleged to have been sustained by such person or for damages for the death of such person alleged to have occurred by reason of an act or omission in the rendering of such first aid, emergency treatment or rescue assistance, unless it is established that such injuries or such death were caused wilfully, wantonly or recklessly or by gross negligence on the part of such person. This section shall apply to members or employees of nonprofit volunteer or governmental ambulance, rescue or emergency units, whether or not a user or service fee may be charged by the nonprofit unit or the governmental entity and whether or not the members or employees receive salaries or other compensation from the nonprofit unit or the governmental entity. This section shall not be construed to require a person who is ill or injured to be administered first aid or emergency treatment if such person objects thereto on religious grounds. This section shall not apply if such first aid or emergency treatment or assistance is rendered on the premises of a hospital or clinic.

(b) For the purpose of assisting the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline in developing standards for advanced life support services, there is hereby created the Advanced Life Support Standards Committee. The Standards Committee shall be composed of the Chairperson and 20 members. The Chairperson will be appointed by the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline. The 20 members shall be selected from names submitted to the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline by resolution of the following respective organizations:

Each representative shall serve at the pleasure of the organization which representative represents and representative's successor shall be chosen in a like manner. The Standards Committee will meet at the call of the Chairperson of the Standards Committee or the Chairperson of the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline.

The Standards Committee shall provide technical assistance for establishment of minimum standards for advanced life support services, and review curricula for training programs submitted to the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline referring them back to the Board with appropriate recommendations.

(a) Any lay individual who in good faith, without the expectation of monetary or other compensation from the individual aided or treated, renders emergency care or rescue assistance at the scene of any emergency or who undertakes to transport any victim thereof to the nearest medical facility is not liable for any civil damages as a result of any act or omission in rendering the emergency care unless it is established that the injuries or death were caused wilfully, wantonly, or recklessly or by gross negligence.

(b) This section may not be construed to require a lay individual to administer first aid or emergency care to another if the other individual objects.

Section 3. Amend Chapter 97, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline and redesignating accordingly as follows:

§ 9702. Definitions.

As used in this subchapter:

Section 4. Amend Chapter 97, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 9708. Public safety personnel rendering emergency care exempt from liability.

(a) Public safety personnel who in good faith renders emergency care or rescue assistance at the scene of any emergency or who undertakes to transport any victim thereof to the nearest medical facility is not liable for any civil damages as a result of any act or omission in rendering the emergency care if all of the following apply:

(b) This section may not be construed to require public safety personnel to administer first aid or emergency care to an individual who is ill or injured if such individual objects.

Section 5. Amend Chapter 97, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 9709. Advanced Life Support Standards Committee.

(a) The Advanced Life Support Standards Committee is created for the purpose of assisting the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline in developing standards for advanced life support services. The Standards Committee is composed of the Chairperson and 20 members. The Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline shall appoint the Chairperson. The Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline shall select the other members of the Standards Committee from the names submitted to the Board by resolution of the following organizations:

(b) Each member serves at the pleasure of the organization that member represents and each member’s successor shall be chosen in a like manner. The Standards Committee shall meet at the call of the Chairperson of the Standards Committee or the Chairperson of the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline.

(c) The Standards Committee shall provide technical assistance to the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline regarding all of the following: