Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed two important pieces of legislation that will shield Good Samaritans from civil liability: Senate Bill 39, authored by Senator John Benoit, and Assembly Bill 83, authored by Assemblyman Mike Feuer.
The bills, which CJAC supported, amend California's Health and Safety Code to ensure that liability protections extend to all persons -- both medical professionals and laypeople -- who help out in good faith at the scene of an emergency. Both bills have urgency clauses and will go into effect immediately.
The bills were authored in response to the California Supreme Court decision in December 2008 in Van Horn v. Watson, in which the court ruled that the Health and Safety Code provides liability protection only to medical professionals who provide emergency medical care.
In that case, Lisa Torti moved Alexa Van Horn out of a car, thinking the car would explode and burn her. Van Horn alleges that the movement caused her subsequent paralysis.
Click here to read more background on the bills. Watch CJAC's Vice President-Legislation, Kim Stone, testify on AB 83 here.
Also, click here to read a news release from Assemblyman Feuer's office.