WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

This bill prohibits a cause of action to be filed against a
mental health care provider or administrator for failing to
predict or warn of a patient's violent behavior.

House Bill 50, which was passed by the General Assembly and
signed by me on May 25, 1989, accomplishes the same purpose.
Therefore, it is not necessary for me to sign Senate Bill 56.

Sincerely,

William Donald Schaefer

Governor

Senate Bill No. 56

AN ACT concerning

Mental Health Care Providers - Limits on Liability

FOR the purpose of providing that a cause of action or
disciplinary action may not arise against certain mental
health care providers or administrators of certain
facilities for a patient's violent behavior failing to take
certain actions to provide protection from a patient's
violent behavior; providing a certain exception; providing
specific methods by which certain mental health care
providers or administrators of certain facilities may
discharge a certain duty; providing that a cause of action
or disciplinary action may not arise against certain mental
health care providers or administrators of certain
facilities for certain actions to discharge a duty under
this Act; defining certain terms; providing for the
application of this Act; and generally relating to limiting
the civil liability of certain mental health care providers
and administrators of certain facilities.

BY adding to

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

Section 5-315

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1984 Replacement Volume and 1988 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

5-315.

- 4559 -