Date: 02/27/2014

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB14-1271

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, INSURANCE, & ENVIRONMENT

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment E). The motion p
Refer House Bill 14-1271, as amended, to the Commi		Pass Without Objection
PASS



03:08 PM -- HB 14-1271

Representative Melton presented House Bill 14-1271. Current law provides civil immunity for mental health providers who have a duty to warn a specific person or persons when a patient has communicated to a provider a serious threat of imminent physical violence against a person or persons. The bill repeals and reenacts this statute to extend that immunity to organizations that provide mental health services and to extend the duty to warn to include a warning to specific entities that, if damaged or attacked, would pose harm to public health and safety. This civil immunity from liability applies only to situations where a patient has communicated to a mental health provider a serious threat of imminent physical violence to an entity or entities. Representative Melton distributed and discussed amendment L.001 (Attachment E).

140227 AttachE.pdf140227 AttachE.pdf

03:11 PM

Representative Melton responded to questions about the duty of mental health providers to report certain information, whether additional professionals should be included in the list of mental health providers who have a duty to warn, and what is considered an institution under the bill. He responded to questions about whether a targeted building would be covered by the bill and who a mental health professional would contact when a building is the target of a threat.

03:17 PM -- Jerry Rhodes, representing the Cunningham Fire Protection District, testified in support of the bill. He discussed the reporting requirements for emergency medical services personnel and Colorado events that targeted a location.

03:22 PM -- Dr. Reo Leslie, Jr., representing the Colorado Mental Health Professionals Association, testified in support of the bill. He discussed public safety, the limitation of liability for mental health professionals, and interventions for people in need of mental health services. Dr. Leslie responded to questions about the reporting requirements for mental health professionals and whether reporting requirements may deter patients from sharing information with a provider. He responded to questions about the liability for a mental health professional if they do not report a threat, the time frame for reporting a threat, and the confusion that exists about the current reporting requirements. Dr. Leslie provided a handout to the committee (Attachment F).

140227 AttachF.pdf140227 AttachF.pdf

03:36 PM -- Moe Keller, representing Mental Health America of Colorado, testified in a neutral capacity. She discussed person-first language.
BILL:HB14-1271
TIME: 03:40:48 PM
MOVED:Schafer
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment E). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Singer
VOTE
Fields
Ginal
Humphrey
Joshi
Landgraf
McNulty
Primavera
Singer
Swalm
Schafer
McCann
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection



03:41 PM

Representative Melton made concluding comments about the bill. The committee discussed the bill.
BILL:HB14-1271
TIME: 03:44:29 PM
MOVED:Schafer
MOTION:Refer House Bill 14-1271, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0, with one member excused.
SECONDED:Fields
VOTE
Fields
Yes
Ginal
Yes
Humphrey
Yes
Joshi
Yes
Landgraf
Excused
McNulty
Yes
Primavera
Yes
Singer
Yes
Swalm
Yes
Schafer
Yes
McCann
Yes
Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




03:45 PM

The committee took a brief recess.