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Legislative History of H.B. 4, Med-Mal & Tort Reform Act of 2003 (3rd Edition)

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BONUS OFFER: Additionally, if you buy our HB 4 eBook now, you will also receive the Legislative History of H.J.R. 3 (2003), the constitutional amendment which authorized the Legislature to set limits on non-economic damages. This report is normally priced at $295 and is our gift to you.

eBook

  • Report: 2,400 pages
  • Exhibits CD now includes a fully searchable PDF copy of our H.B. 4 Report and an index to all legislators and witnesses and subjects covered by H.B. 4
  • Transcripts: 3,037 pages
  • Other Documents: 1,794 pages
  • Fee: $595 (eBook)
  • Includes our Legislative History Report on H.J.R. 3 (2003) as a free bonus


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Hard Copy Report

  • Report: 2,400 pages
  • Exhibits CD now includes a fully searchable PDF copy of our H.B. 4 Report and an index to all legislators and witnesses and subjects covered by H.B. 4
  • Transcripts: 3,037 pages
  • Other Documents: 1,794 pages
  • Fee $750 (Hard Copy Report and Exhibit CD)
  • Shipping: $30
  • Includes our Legislative History Report on H.J.R. 3 (2003) as a free bonus


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Capitol Research is pleased to announce the publication of the Third Edition of the Legislative History of H.B. 4, the Medical Malpractice and Tort Reform Act of 2003.

Purchasers of previous editions of our HB 4 Report will receive the 3rd Edition as a free update. (If you have not already recieved this update, click here to request your copy.)

Our 3-volume, 2400-page report has been updated to include indexes of each of legislator debating the bill on the floor of the House and Senate, witnesses testifying in the public hearings, as well as each of the topics covered by this extensive bill. Additionally, our report is a fully-searchable PDF so any citations, key words, and topics in the report are now available to you instantly.

Abstract

H.B. 4 (2003) was a comprehensive overhaul of tort law beginning with its cap on non-economic damages for medical malpractice cases. The hearings and the floor debates on this bill were very extensive.

Our report on the legislative history of House Bill 4 begins with an abstract that recaps the important legislative points of the bill. The comprehensive background section follows the bill through the entire legislative process and includes the filing of the bill, the House and Senate committee hearings, committee amendments, bill analyses, the extensive floor debates (the House debated H.B. 4 for almost two weeks), floor amendments, and conference committee action. The Exhibits include transcripts from the committee hearings and floor debates and all legislative documents relevant to H.B. 4: all versions of the bill, the bill analyses, and the House and Senate Journals.

As described by the Senate Research Center, House Bill 4 "is the comprehensive tort reform bill addressing many issues affecting the civil court system. The authors' stated intent is to bring more balance to the Texas civil justice system, reduce litigation costs, and address the role of litigation in society. [House Bill 4] contains elements addressing: class action lawsuits, offers of settlement, venue and forum non conveniens, proportionate responsibility, products liability, prejudgement and postjudgement interest, appeal bonds, seat belts and child safety seats, medical malpractice, charitable volunteer immunity and liability, admissibility of evidence regarding nursing homes, and liability relating to asbestos claims."

The Medical Malpractice and Tort Reform Act of 2003 went into effect on September 1, 2003.

Exhibits

Senate Interim Study
1. Senate Special Committee on Prompt Pay of Health Care Providers, Interim Report to the 78th Legislature (November, 2002)

Bill Versions
2. Tex. H.B. 4, 78th Leg., R.S., Master Bill History Report (2003)
3. Tex. H.B. 4, As Introduced, 78th Leg., R.S. (2003)
4. Tex. H.B. 4, House Committee Report, 78th Leg., R.S. (2003)
5. Tex. H.B. 4, House Engrossed, 78th Leg., R.S. (2003)
6. Tex. H.B. 4, Senate Committee Report, 78th Leg., R.S. (2003)
7. Tex. H.B. 4, Conference Committee Report, 78th Leg., R.S. (2003)
8. Tex. H.B. 4, Enrolled, 78th Leg., R.S. (2003)
9. Tex. H.B. 3, 78th Leg., R.S., Master Bill History Report (2003)
10. Tex. H.B. 3, As Introduced, 78th Leg., R.S. (2003)

Witness Lists
11. Hearings on H.B. 3 and H.J.R. 3 Before the House Committee on Civil Practices, 78th Leg., R.S., Witness List (February 19, 2003).
12. Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the House Committee on Civil Practices, 78th Leg., R.S., Witness List (February 26, 2003).
13. Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg., R.S., Witness List (April 7 – May 13, 2003).

Transcripts
House Hearings
14. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Hearings on Medical Malpractice Before the House Committee on Civil Practices, 78th Leg., R.S. (February 12, 2003).
15. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 3 & H.J.R. 3 Before the House Committee on Civil Practices, 78th Leg. R.S. (February 19, 2003)
16. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the House Committee on Civil Practices, 78th Leg. R.S. (February 26, 2003)
17. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the House Committee on Civil Practices, 78th Leg. R.S. (March 4, 2003)

House Floor Debates
18. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Debate on H.B. 4 On the Floor of the House (Second Reading), 78th Leg. R.S. (March 19, 2003)
19. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Debate on H.B. 4 On the Floor of the House (Second Reading), 78th Leg. R.S. (March 20, 2003)
20. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Debate on H.B. 4 On the Floor of the House (Second Reading), 78th Leg. R.S. (March 25, 2003)
21. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Debate on H.B. 4 On the Floor of the House (Second Reading), 78th Leg. R.S. (March 26, 2003)
22. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Debate on H.B. 4 On the Floor of the House (Second Reading), 78th Leg. R.S. (March 27, 2003)
23. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Debate on H.B. 4 On the Floor of the House (Third Reading), 78th Leg. R.S. (March 28, 2003)

Senate Hearings
24. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg. R.S. (April 7, 2003)
25. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg. R.S. (April 10, 2003 – Morning and Afternoon Sessions)
26. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg. R.S. (April 14, 2003)
27. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg. R.S. (April 15, 2003)
28. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg. R.S. (April 16, 2003)
29. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg. R.S. (April 22, 2003)
30. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg. R.S. (April 30, 2003)
31. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg. R.S. (May 5, 2003)
32. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg. R.S. (May 6, 2003)
33. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg. R.S. (May 7, 2003)
34. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Hearings on H.B. 4 Before the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 78th Leg. R.S. (May 13, 2003)

Senate Floor Debate
35. SENATE STAFF SERVICES, Debate on H.B. 4 On the Floor of the Senate (Second and Third Readings), 78th Leg. R.S. (May 16, 2003)

Conference Committee Action
36. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Debate on H.B. 4 On the Floor of the House (Senate Amendments), 78th Leg. R.S. (May 21, 2003)
37. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Debate on H.B. 4 On the Floor of the House (Adoption of Conference Committee Report), 78th Leg. R.S. (June 1, 2003)
38. CAPITOL RESEARCH SERVICES, Debate on H.B. 4 On the Floor of the Senate (Adoption of Conference Committee Report), 78th Leg. R.S. (June 1, 2003)

House Research Organization
39. HOUSE RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, H.B. 4 Bill Analysis (March 25, 2003)

Journals
40. H.J. of Tex., 78th Leg., R.S. (2003)
41. S.J. of Tex., 78th Leg., R.S. (2003)

Post-Session
42. Act of June 1, 78th Leg., R.S., ch. 204, 2003 Tex. Gen. Laws, 847
43. HOUSE RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, Major Issues of the 78th Legislature, Regular Session (August 6, 2003)