HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2865

BYRepresentative Appelwick

Pertaining to parental consent for health care or education.

House Committe on Judiciary

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (16)

      Signed by Representatives Appelwick, Chair; Crane, Vice Chair; Padden, Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Dellwo, Forner, Hargrove, Inslee, P. King, Moyer, H. Myers, Schmidt, Scott, D. Sommers, Tate and Wineberry.

House Staff:Bill Perry (786-7123)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY FEBRUARY 1, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Various laws and administrative rules affect parental decisions about a child's health care and education.  When the parents of a child have divorced, for instance, the parenting plan which they are required to complete must provide for how such decisions are to be made.  Health care providers and school officials sometimes have difficulty knowing which parent is allowed to make decisions on behalf of the child.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  Health care providers and school officials are given immunity from liability for relying on a parent's assertion that he or she has the authority to consent to the release of medical or educational records.  The immunity does not apply, however, if the health care provider or school official actually knows that the parent does not have the claimed authority.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The original bill applies to decisions about providing health care, in addition to decisions about the release of records.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    No one.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    None.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.