By MARY SELL, Alabama Daily News
Bills moving through the Legislature would give regional mental health entities and their employees who work under the Alabama Department of Mental Health the same protections from legal liability given state entities and employees.
House Bill 605 from House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, was approved by the House Health Committee on Thursday.
“It keeps (entities) from being sued so that the money they get goes to the people they need to help,” Ledbetter told the committee.
The liability protection does not extend to subcontractors or independent contractors of facilities.
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the Senate version of the bill on Thursday. Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, is sponsoring that bill.