HB173 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mike Millican

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Health care, ventilators, procedure before and after disconnection process, established, civil penalties, Patients' Ventilator Bill of Rights Act

Summary

This bill creates the Patients' Ventilator Bill of Rights Act to set a defined procedure for disconnecting a ventilator from a patient, including patient-family rights, staff training, privacy, and penalties for noncompliance.

What This Bill Does

If passed, it would require medical providers and facilities to follow a defined process for ventilator disconnection. It requires informing the patient’s immediate family, training nurses, providing a private room, listing all orders in the chart, giving prescribed medications (including oxygen), ensuring equipment works, and monitoring the patient during the process. It also requires notifying a chaplain before disconnection and giving the family a copy of the act. Violations could incur civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation and may lead to additional disciplinary action; the act takes effect on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Medical providers and medical facilities would have to follow the new procedures and could face civil penalties and disciplinary action for violations.
• Patients and their immediate family or caregivers would receive information, privacy, support, and documentation related to ventilator disconnection.

Key Provisions

• Defines terms used in the act: medical facility, medical provider, and ventilator.
• During disconnection, requires providing in-depth information about the process to the patient's immediate family.
• Requires nurses involved in disconnection to have prior training in the process and in securing medications and equipment.
• Requires providing the patient and family/caregiver a private room for the disconnection process.
• Requires all disconnection orders to be listed in the patient’s current chart at the start and kept on the chart.
• Requires the patient to receive all prescribed medications, including oxygen, to minimize distress during and after disconnection.
• Requires medications and equipment to be checked for proper functioning before the disconnection starts.
• Requires regular monitoring of the patient by a physician or nurse during the disconnection.
• Requires notifying a chaplain or spiritual advisor before the disconnection begins.
• Requires providing a copy of the act to the patient or family/caregiver.
• Imposes civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation for violations of the act, with enforcement by the professional licensing board and possible additional discipline.
• Effective date: the act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health Care