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SB 2054

AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- EVIDENCE

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Alana DiMario and 9 co-sponsors

Keeps health care providers’ apologies or expressions of sympathy about unanticipated medical outcomes from being admitted as liability admissions in civil disputes.

06/04/2026 Referred to House Judiciary
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Bill Summary · SB 2054

Summary of Bill SB 2054 ( Rhode Island, 2026 Session )

Basic Information

  • Bill Title: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- EVIDENCE
  • Jurisdiction: Rhode Island
  • Introduced: January 9, 2026
  • Sponsor/Co-Sponsors: Senators Lauria, Lawson, Euer, LaMountain, Zurier, Pearson, McKenney, DiMario, Murray, Gallo; with several co-sponsors listed
  • Committee: Senate Judiciary
  • Effective Date: Upon passage

Purpose and Intent

The bill adds a new provision to Rhode Island’s Evidence law (Chapter 9-19) to protect certain statements and conduct by health care providers from being admitted as admissions of liability or as admissions against interest in civil claims or disputes arising from unanticipated medical outcomes.

Key Provisions

New Section: 9-19-45 — Statements or Conduct Expressing Apology, Regret, Condolence by Health Care Provider; Admissibility

  • Definitions (for purposes of this section):
    • “Healthcare facility”: Licensed institutional health service provider under the relevant Rhode Island licensing statute.
    • “Healthcare provider” / “provider”: As defined in Rhode Island law. Note: The section relies on existing definitions in Rhode Island statutes for consistency.
    • “Relative”: Family members or relatives connected to the patient (spouse, parent, grandparent, child, etc.), including extended relations and in-laws as defined.
    • “Representative”: A legal guardian, attorney, health care representative, or any person recognized as the patient’s agent.
    • “Unanticipated outcome”: A medical treatment or procedure outcome that differs from the expected result.

Admissibility Rules

  • Scope of protection: In any claim, complaint, civil action, arbitration, or other dispute resolution related to an unanticipated outcome, statements or conduct by a health care facility/provider (or its employees/agents) expressing apology, benevolence, condolence, compassion, regret, sympathy, or a general concern to the patient, their relative, or their representative are inadmissible as evidence of liability admissions or admissions against interest.
    • This protection applies to statements made about the patient’s discomfort, pain, suffering, injury, or death resulting from the unanticipated outcome.
  • Exception for fault-based statements: The section does not apply to statements of fault, liability, negligence, or culpable conduct that accompany or are part of the same statement or conduct described in subsection (b)(1). In other words, if a statement includes fault or negligence, the portion relating to apology/concern may still be inadmissible, but the fault portion remains potentially admissible.
  • Other uses: Any statements described in subsection (b)(1) may be admissible for other purposes (e.g., to prove something unrelated to liability).

Who/What is Affected

  • Entities Protected: Healthcare facilities and healthcare providers (including employees/agents) licensed or operating in Rhode Island.
  • People Protected: Patients, their relatives, and their legal representatives.
  • Applicable Context: Civil suits, arbitrations, or other dispute resolution proceedings arising from unanticipated medical outcomes.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Effective Date: The act takes effect upon passage (i.e., immediate applicability once enacted).
  • Procedural Note: The bill was introduced January 9, 2026, and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee; it has scheduled hearing/consideration pending as of May 1, 2026.

Potential Impact

  • Litigation Stress Relief for Providers/Facilities: By preventing apologies or expressions of sympathy from being used as admissions of liability, providers may feel more comfortable communicating with patients and families about unanticipated outcomes.
  • Communication and Transparency: Could encourage open dialogue between providers and patients/families without fear of automatic admission implications, potentially shaping settlement dynamics.
  • Evidence and Trial Strategy: Admissibility rules for fault statements remain; care providers and counsel still need to consider when fault is acknowledged separately from unanticipated outcome communications.
  • Public Policy Considerations: Aligns with similar “apology” protections in other states designed to reduce litigation costs and promote patient-provider communication, while preserving other evidentiary avenues for proving liability.

If you’d like, I can compare SB 2054 to analogous Rhode Island or other-state protections, or provide a quick-impact table for stakeholders (healthcare facilities, plaintiffs, insurers, etc.).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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