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WDC Legislative Tracking Report 2013-2014

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Assembly Bills

LinksSummary/Status
AB-19
Jacque
History
Torts and Personal Injury Trusts
Summary: Provides transparency and prevents fraud in lawsuits involving personal injury trusts by creating certain discovery requirements during litigation.
Status: Introduced Feb. 15, 2013; Referred to the committee on Judiciary; Public hearing held April 4; Passage as amended recommended (6-2) Apr. 25;
AB-27
Kuglitsch
History
Contingent Fees
Summary: Prohibits a state agency from contracting to provide legal services for the state on a contingent fee basis unless the governor makes a written determination that entering into such a contract is cost-effective and in the public interest.
Status: Introduced Feb. 18, 2013; Referred to the committee on Judiciary. Public hearing held Mar. 28; Passage as amended recommended (5-3) on Apr. 15; Referred to Rules.
AB-29
Jacque
History
Collateral Source Rule
Summary
: Allows juries in personal injury cases to see all the evidence when determining the amount owed to compensate the plaintiff for his or her medical expenses.
Status: Introduced Feb. 18, 2013; Referred to the committee on Judiciary. Public hearing held Apr. 11.
AB 120
Severson
History
Inadmissibility of Statement of Apology by Healthcare Provider
Summary
: Provides that a statement or conduct of a health care provider that expresses apology, benevolence, compassion, condolence, fault, liability, remorse, responsibility, or sympathy to a patient or patient's relative or representative is not admissible into evidence or subject to discovery in any civil action or administrative hearing regarding the health care provider as evidence of liability or as an admission against interest.
Status: Introduced Apr. 4, 2013. Referred to committee on Judiciary;
AB 139
Ott
History
Duty of Physicians to Inform Patients of Treatment Options
Summary
: Overturns a Wisconsin Supreme Court decision (Jandre v. Wisconsin Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund) dealing with informed consent in medical liability cases. Provides that the "reasonable physician standard" is the standard for informing a patient under the physician informed consent law.
Status: Introduced Apr. 5, 2013. Referred to committee on Judiciary; Public hearing held Apr. 11; Passage recommended (6-2) Apr. 25;
AB 153
Steineke
History
Exception to Hearsay Rule
Summary
: Makes changes to current law regarding an exception to the hearsay rule to allow a statement made by a declarant who is unavailable to testify as a witness at a proceeding if the declarant's statement is made against a party who wrongfully caused the declarant to be unavailable.
Status: Introduced Apr. 15, 2013. Referred to committee on Judiciary;
AB 160
Jacque
History
Wrongful Death of Unborn Child
Summary
: Provides that no one may bring a medical malpractice claim against a health care provider who did not know, and who had no reason to know, that the mother of the deceased patient was pregnant.
Status: Introduced Apr. 17, 2013. Referred to committee on Health;

Senate Bills

LinksSummary/Status
SB-13
Grothman
History

Torts and Personal Injury Trusts
Summary
: Provides transparency and prevents fraud in lawsuits involving personal injury trusts by creating certain discovery requirements during litigation.
Status: Introduced Feb. 12, 2013; Referred to committee on Judiciary and Labor. Public hearing held Apr. 11;

SB-19
Grothman
History
Contingent Fees
Summary
: Prohibits a state agency from contracting to provide legal services for the state on a contingent fee basis unless the governor makes a written determination that entering into such a contract is cost-effective and in the public interest.
Status: Introduced Feb. 13, 2013. Referred to committee on Judiciary and Labor; Public hearing held Apr. 11;
SB-22
Farrow
History

Collateral Source Rule
Summary
: Allows juries in personal injury cases to see all the evidence when determining the amount owed to compensate the plaintiff for his or her medical expenses.
Status: Introduced Feb. 13, 2013; Referred to the committee on Judiciary and Labor.

SB-129
Vukmire
History

Inadmissibility of Statement of Apology by Healthcare Provider
Summary
: Provides that a statement or conduct of a health care provider that expresses apology, benevolence, compassion, condolence, fault, liability, remorse, responsibility, or sympathy to a patient or patient's relative or representative is not admissible into evidence or subject to discovery in any civil action or administrative hearing regarding the health care provider as evidence of liability or as an admission against interest.
Status: Introduced Apr. 4, 2013. Referred to committee on Judiciary and Labor;

SB-143
Hansen
History

Employment Discrimination
Summary
: Authorizes the circuit court to order a person who engages in discrimination in employment, unfair honesty testing, or unfair genetic testing to pay compensatory and punitive damages.
Status: Introduced Apr. 17, 2013. Referred to committee on Judiciary and Labor;

 Updated April 23, 2013

-- WDC Legislative Tracking Report 2011-2012