instruction:
In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
question:
SECTION 1. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT; LIABILITY PROTECTIONS FOR HEALTH-
              CENTER PRACTITIONERS PROVIDING SERVICES IN EMERGENCY 
              AREAS.

    (a) In General.--Section 224(g) of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 233(g)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(B)(ii), by striking ``subparagraph 
        (C)'' and inserting ``subparagraph (C) and paragraph (6)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following paragraph:
    ``(6)(A) Subject to subparagraph (C), paragraph (1)(B)(ii) applies 
to health services provided to individuals who are not patients of the 
entity involved if, as determined under criteria issued by the 
Secretary, the following conditions are met:
            ``(i) The services are provided by a contractor or employee 
        of the entity who is a physician or other licensed or certified 
        health care practitioner and who is otherwise deemed to be an 
        employee for purposes of paragraph (1)(A) when providing 
        services with respect to the entity.
            ``(ii) The services are provided in an emergency area (as 
        defined in subparagraph (D)).
            ``(iii) The services of the contractor or employee 
        (referred to in this paragraph as the `out-of-area 
        practitioner') are provided under an arrangement with--
                    ``(I) an entity that is deemed to be an employee 
                for purposes of paragraph (1)(A) and that serves the 
                emergency area involved (referred to in this paragraph 
                as an `emergency-area entity)'; or
                    ``(II) a Federal agency that has responsibilities 
                regarding the provision of health services in such area 
                during the emergency.
            ``(iv) The purposes of the arrangement are--
                    ``(I) to coordinate, to the extent practicable, the 
                provision of health services in the emergency area by 
                the out-of-area practitioner with the provision of 
                services by the emergency-area entity, or by the 
                Federal agency, as the case may be;
                    ``(II) to identify a location in the emergency area 
                to which such practitioner should report for purposes 
                of providing health services, and to identify an 
                individual or individuals in the area to whom the 
                practitioner should report for such purposes; and
                    ``(III) to verify the identity of the practitioner 
                and that the practitioner is licensed or certified by 
                one or more of the States.
            ``(v) With respect to the licensure or certification of 
        health care practitioners, the provision of services by the 
        out-of-area practitioner in the emergency area is not a 
        violation of the law of the State in which the area is located.
    ``(B) In issuing criteria under subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
shall take into account the need to rapidly enter into arrangements 
under such subparagraph in order to provide health services in 
emergency areas promptly after the emergency begins.
    ``(C) Subparagraph (A) applies with respect to an act or omission 
of an out-of-area practitioner only to the extent that the practitioner 
is not immune from liability for such act or omission under the 
Volunteer Protection Act of 1997.
    ``(D) For purposes of this paragraph, the term `emergency area' 
means a geographic area for which--
            ``(i) the Secretary has made a determination under section 
        319 that a public health emergency exists; or
            ``(ii) a presidential declaration of major disaster has 
        been issued under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford 
        Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--With respect to paragraph (6) of section 
224(g) of the Public Health Service Act, as added by subsection (a) of 
this section:
            (1) Except as provided in this subsection, an arrangement 
        under subparagraph (A)(iii) of such paragraph (6) is deemed to 
        be in effect for any health professional who, within the 
        meaning of such paragraph--
                    (A) is an employee or contractor of a health center 
                under section 330 of such Act; and
                    (B) served or is serving as an out-of-area 
                practitioner in any emergency area declared as a result 
                of Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita.
            (2) Such paragraph (6) is deemed to have taken effect on 
        August 27, 2005, for purposes of paragraph (1) of this 
        subsection. Such paragraph (6) otherwise takes effect on the 
        date of the enactment of this Act.
            (3) Paragraph (1) of this subsection applies until the 
        expiration of the 48-hour period beginning on the date on which 
        the Secretary of Health and Human Services publishes in the 
        Federal Register a notice that the applicability of such 
        paragraph is being terminated.
answer:
Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem certain physicians or other licensed or certified health care practitioners to be employees of the Public Health Service for purposes of any civil action that may arise due to services provided in an emergency area by a contractor or an employee of a qualified health center. Provides that such services must be provided under an arrangement with a qualified health center or with a federal agency with responsibility for providing health services in the emergency area.


question:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Health Care OverUse Reform Today Act 
(HealthCOURT Act) of 2009''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PERFORMANCE-BASED QUALITY MEASURES.

    Not later than January 1, 2010, the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services shall submit to Congress a proposal for a formalized process 
for the development of performance-based quality measures that could be 
applied to physicians' services under the Medicare program under title 
XVIII of the Social Security Act. Such proposal shall be in concert and 
agreement with the Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement and 
shall only utilize measures agreed upon by each physician specialty 
organization.

SEC. 3. AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE BASED ON COMPLIANCE WITH BEST PRACTICE 
              GUIDELINES.

    (a) Selection and Issuance of Best Practices Guidelines.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
        (in this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall 
        provide for the selection and issuance of best practice 
        guidelines (each in this subsection referred to as a 
        ``guideline'') in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).
            (2) Development process.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter 
        into a contract with a qualified physician consensus-building 
        organization (such as the Physician Consortium for Performance 
        Improvement), in concert and agreement with physician specialty 
        organizations, to develop guidelines for treatment of medical 
        conditions for application under subsection (b). Under the 
        contract, the organization shall take into consideration any 
        endorsed performance-based quality measures described in 
        section 2. Under the contract and not later than 18 months 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, the organization 
        shall submit best practice guidelines for issuance as 
        guidelines under paragraph (3).
            (3) Issuance.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
                issue, by regulation, after notice and opportunity for 
                public comment, guidelines that have been recommended 
                under paragraph (2) for application under subsection 
                (b).
                    (B) Limitation.--The Secretary may not issue 
                guidelines unless they have been approved or endorsed 
                by qualified physician consensus-building organization 
                involved and physician specialty organizations.
                    (C) Dissemination.--The Secretary shall broadly 
                disseminate the guidelines so issued.
    (b) Limitation on Damages.--
            (1) Limitation on noneconomic damages.--In any health care 
        lawsuit, no noneconomic damages may awarded with respect to 
        treatment that is within a guideline issued under subsection 
        (a).
            (2) Limitation on punitive damages.--In any health care 
        lawsuit, no punitive damages may be awarded against a health 
        care practitioner based on a claim that such treatment caused 
        the claimant harm if--
                    (A) such treatment was subject to the quality 
                review by a qualified physician consensus-building 
                organization;
                    (B) such treatment was approved in a guideline that 
                underwent full review by such organization, public 
                comment, approval by the Secretary, and dissemination 
                as described in subparagraph (a); and
                    (C) such medical treatment is generally recognized 
                among qualified experts (including medical providers 
                and relevant physician specialty organizations) as 
                safe, effective, and appropriate.
    (c) Use.--
            (1) Introduction as evidence.--Guidelines under subsection 
        (a) may not be introduced as evidence of negligence or 
        deviation in the standard of care in any civil action unless 
        they have previously been introduced by the defendant.
            (2) No presumption of negligence.--There would be no 
        presumption of negligence if a participating physician does not 
        adhere to such guidelines.
    (d) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as 
preventing a State from--
            (1) replacing their current medical malpractice rules with 
        rules that rely, as a defense, upon a health care provider's 
        compliance with a guideline issued under subsection (a); or
            (2) applying additional guidelines or safe-harbors that are 
        in addition to, but not in lieu of, the guidelines issued under 
        subsection (a).

SEC. 4. STATE GRANTS TO CREATE ADMINISTRATIVE HEALTH CARE TRIBUNALS.

    Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 399T. STATE GRANTS TO CREATE ADMINISTRATIVE HEALTH CARE 
              TRIBUNALS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants to States for the 
development, implementation, and evaluation of administrative health 
care tribunals that comply with this section, for the resolution of 
disputes concerning injuries allegedly caused by health care providers.
    ``(b) Conditions for Demonstration Grants.--To be eligible to 
receive a grant under this section, a State shall submit to the 
Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as may be required by the Secretary. A grant shall be 
awarded under this section on such terms and conditions as the 
Secretary determines appropriate.
    ``(c) Representation by Counsel.--A State that receives a grant 
under this section may not preclude any party to a dispute before an 
administrative health care tribunal operated under such grant from 
obtaining legal representation during any review by the expert panel 
under subsection (d), the administrative health care tribunal under 
subsection (e), or a State court under subsection (f).
    ``(d) Expert Panel Review and Early Offer Guidelines.--
            ``(1) In general.--Prior to the submission of any dispute 
        concerning injuries allegedly caused by health care providers 
        to an administrative health care tribunal under this section, 
        such allegations shall first be reviewed by an expert panel.
            ``(2) Composition.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The members of each expert panel 
                under this subsection shall be appointed by the head of 
                the State agency responsible for health. Each expert 
                panel shall be composed of no fewer than 3 members and 
                not more than 7 members. At least one-half of such 
                members shall be medical experts (either physicians or 
                health care professionals).
                    ``(B) Licensure and expertise.--Each physician or 
                health care professional appointed to an expert panel 
                under subparagraph (A) shall--
                            ``(i) be appropriately credentialed or 
                        licensed in 1 or more States to deliver health 
                        care services; and
                            ``(ii) typically treat the condition, make 
                        the diagnosis, or provide the type of treatment 
                        that is under review.
                    ``(C) Independence.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), 
                        each individual appointed to an expert panel 
                        under this paragraph shall--
                                    ``(I) not have a material familial, 
                                financial, or professional relationship 
                                with a party involved in the dispute 
                                reviewed by the panel; and
                                    ``(II) not otherwise have a 
                                conflict of interest with such a party.
                            ``(ii) Exception.--Nothing in clause (i) 
                        shall be construed to prohibit an individual 
                        who has staff privileges at an institution 
                        where the treatment involved in the dispute was 
                        provided from serving as a member of an expert 
                        panel merely on the basis of such affiliation, 
                        if the affiliation is disclosed to the parties 
                        and neither party objects.
                    ``(D) Practicing health care professional in same 
                field.--
                            ``(i) In general.--In a dispute before an 
                        expert panel that involves treatment, or the 
                        provision of items or services--
                                    ``(I) by a physician, the medical 
                                experts on the expert panel shall be 
                                practicing physicians (allopathic or 
                                osteopathic) of the same or similar 
                                specialty as a physician who typically 
                                treats the condition, makes the 
                                diagnosis, or provides the type of 
                                treatment under review; or
                                    ``(II) by a health care 
                                professional other than a physician, at 
                                least two medical experts on the expert 
                                panel shall be practicing physicians 
                                (allopathic or osteopathic) of the same 
                                or similar specialty as the health care 
                                professional who typically treats the 
                                condition, makes the diagnosis, or 
                                provides the type of treatment under 
                                review, and, if determined appropriate 
                                by the State agency, an additional 
                                medical expert shall be a practicing 
                                health care professional (other than 
                                such a physician) of such a same or 
                                similar specialty.
                            ``(ii) Practicing defined.--In this 
                        paragraph, the term `practicing' means, with 
                        respect to an individual who is a physician or 
                        other health care professional, that the 
                        individual provides health care services to 
                        individual patients on average at least 2 days 
                        a week.
                    ``(E) Pediatric expertise.--In the case of dispute 
                relating to a child, at least 1 medical expert on the 
                expert panel shall have expertise described in 
                subparagraph (D)(i) in pediatrics.
            ``(3) Determination.--After a review under paragraph (1), 
        an expert panel shall make a determination as to the liability 
        of the parties involved and compensation.
            ``(4) Acceptance.--If the parties to a dispute before an 
        expert panel under this subsection accept the determination of 
        the expert panel concerning liability and compensation, such 
        compensation shall be paid to the claimant and the claimant 
        shall agree to forgo any further action against the health care 
        providers involved.
            ``(5) Failure to accept.--If any party decides not to 
        accept the expert panel's determination, the matter shall be 
        referred to an administrative health care tribunal created 
        pursuant to this section.
    ``(e) Administrative Health Care Tribunals.--
            ``(1) In general.--Upon the failure of any party to accept 
        the determination of an expert panel under subsection (d), the 
        parties shall have the right to request a hearing concerning 
        the liability or compensation involved by an administrative 
        health care tribunal established by the State involved.
            ``(2) Requirements.--In establishing an administrative 
        health care tribunal under this section, a State shall--
                    ``(A) ensure that such tribunals are presided over 
                by special judges with health care expertise;
                    ``(B) provide authority to such judges to make 
                binding rulings, rendered in written decisions, on 
                standards of care, causation, compensation, and related 
                issues with reliance on independent expert witnesses 
                commissioned by the tribunal;
                    ``(C) establish gross negligence as the legal 
                standard for the tribunal;
                    ``(D) allow the admission into evidence of the 
                recommendation made by the expert panel under 
                subsection (d); and
                    ``(E) provide for an appeals process to allow for 
                review of decisions by State courts.
    ``(f) Review by State Court After Exhaustion of Administrative 
Remedies.--
            ``(1) Right to file.--If any party to a dispute before a 
        health care tribunal under subsection (e) is not satisfied with 
        the determinations of the tribunal, the party shall have the 
        right to file their claim in a State court of competent 
        jurisdiction.
            ``(2) Forfeit of awards.--Any party filing an action in a 
        State court in accordance with paragraph (1) shall forfeit any 
        compensation award made under subsection (e).
            ``(3) Admissibility.--The determinations of the expert 
        panel and the administrative health care tribunal pursuant to 
        subsections (d) and (e) with respect to a State court 
        proceeding under paragraph (1) shall be admissible into 
        evidence in any such State court proceeding.
    ``(g) Definition.--In this section, the term `health care provider' 
has the meaning given such term for purposes of part A of title VII.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for any fiscal year such sums as may be necessary for 
purposes of making grants to States under this section.''.

SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING HEALTH INSURER LIABILITY.

    It is the sense of Congress that a health insurance issuer should 
be liable for damages for harm caused when it makes a decision as to 
what care is medically necessary and appropriate.
answer:
Health Care OverUse Reform Today Act (HealthCOURT Act) of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to propose to Congress a formalized process for the development of performance-based quality measures that could be applied to physicians' services under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act. Requires the proposal: (1) to be in concert and agreement with the Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement; and (2) utilize only measures agreed upon by each physician specialty organization.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) provide for the selection and issuance of best practice guidelines for treatment of medical conditions; and (2) contract with a qualified physician consensus-building organization (such as the Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement), in concert and agreement with physician specialty organizations, to develop such guidelines.

Prohibits the award of any noneconomic damages in any health care lawsuit with respect to treatment that is within an issued guideline.

Prohibits the award of punitive damages against a health care practitioner in such a lawsuit based on a claim that medical treatment caused the claimant harm if the treatment: (1) was subject to quality review by a qualified physician consensus-building organization; (2) was approved in a guideline that underwent full review by such organization, public comment, the Secretary's approval, and dissemination; and (3) is generally recognized among qualified experts as safe, effective, and appropriate.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary to award grants to states for the development, implementation, and evaluation of administrative health care tribunals for the resolution of disputes concerning injuries allegedly caused by health care providers.

Expresses the sense of Congress that a health insurance issuer should be liable for damages for a harm caused when it makes a decision as to what care is medically necessary and appropriate.


question:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 
2001''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the incidence of violence motivated by the actual or 
        perceived race, color, national origin, religion, sexual 
        orientation, gender, or disability of the victim poses a 
        serious national problem;
            (2) such violence disrupts the tranquility and safety of 
        communities and is deeply divisive;
            (3) existing Federal law is inadequate to address this 
        problem;
            (4) such violence affects interstate commerce in many ways, 
        including--
                    (A) by impeding the movement of members of targeted 
                groups and forcing such members to move across State 
                lines to escape the incidence or risk of such violence; 
                and
                    (B) by preventing members of targeted groups from 
                purchasing goods and services, obtaining or sustaining 
                employment or participating in other commercial 
                activity;
            (5) perpetrators cross State lines to commit such violence;
            (6) instrumentalities of interstate commerce are used to 
        facilitate the commission of such violence;
            (7) such violence is committed using articles that have 
        traveled in interstate commerce;
            (8) violence motivated by bias that is a relic of slavery 
        can constitute badges and incidents of slavery;
            (9) although many local jurisdictions have attempted to 
        respond to the challenges posed by such violence, the problem 
        is sufficiently serious, widespread, and interstate in scope to 
        warrant Federal intervention to assist such jurisdictions; and
            (10) many States have no laws addressing violence based on 
        the actual or perceived race, color, national origin, religion, 
        sexual orientation, gender, or disability, of the victim, while 
        other States have laws that provide only limited protection.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF HATE CRIME.

    In this Act, the term ``hate crime'' has the same meaning as in 
section 280003(a) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act 
of 1994 (28 U.S.C. 994 note).

SEC. 4. PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN ACTS OF VIOLENCE.

    Section 245 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections 
        (d) and (e), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c)(1) Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, 
willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of 
fire, a firearm, or an explosive device, attempts to cause bodily 
injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived race, color, 
religion, or national origin of any person--
            ``(A) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, or fined 
        in accordance with this title, or both; and
            ``(B) shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for 
        life, or fined in accordance with this title, or both if--
                    ``(i) death results from the acts committed in 
                violation of this paragraph; or
                    ``(ii) the acts committed in violation of this 
                paragraph include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, 
                aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit 
                aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill.
    ``(2)(A) Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, in any 
circumstance described in subparagraph (B), willfully causes bodily 
injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, or an 
explosive device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, 
because of the  actual or perceived religion, gender, sexual 
orientation, or disability of any person--
            ``(i) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, or fined 
        in accordance with this title, or both; and
            ``(ii) shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for 
        life, or fined in accordance with this title, or both, if--
                    ``(I) death results from the acts committed in 
                violation of this paragraph; or
                    ``(II) the acts committed in violation of this 
                paragraph include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, 
                aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit 
                aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill.
    ``(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the circumstances described 
in this subparagraph are that--
            ``(i) in connection with the offense, the defendant or the 
        victim travels in interstate or foreign commerce, uses a 
        facility or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce, 
        or engages in any activity affecting interstate or foreign 
        commerce; or
            ``(ii) the offense is in or affects interstate or foreign 
        commerce.''.

SEC. 5. DUTIES OF FEDERAL SENTENCING COMMISSION.

    (a) Amendment of Federal Sentencing Guidelines.--Pursuant to its 
authority under section 994 of title 28, United States Code, the United 
States Sentencing Commission shall study the issue of adult recruitment 
of juveniles to commit hate crimes and shall, if appropriate, amend the 
Federal sentencing guidelines to provide sentencing enhancements (in 
addition to the sentencing enhancement provided for the use of a minor 
during the commission of an offense) for adult defendants who recruit 
juveniles to assist in the commission of hate crimes.
    (b) Consistency With Other Guidelines.--In carrying out this 
section, the United States Sentencing Commission shall--
            (1) ensure that there is reasonable consistency with other 
        Federal sentencing guidelines; and
            (2) avoid duplicative punishments for substantially the 
        same offense.

SEC. 6. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Authority To Make Grants.--The Administrator of the Office of 
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Department of 
Justice shall make grants, in accordance with such regulations as the 
Attorney General may prescribe, to State and local programs designed to 
combat hate crimes committed by juveniles.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO ASSIST STATE AND 
              LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of the 
Treasury and the Department of Justice, including the Community 
Relations Service, for fiscal years 1998, 1999, and 2000 such sums as 
are necessary to increase the number of personnel to prevent and 
respond to alleged violations of section 245 of title 18, United States 
Code (as amended by this Act).
answer:

Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2001 - Amends the Federal criminal code to set penalties for willfully causing bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, or an explosive device, attempting to cause such injury, whether or not acting under color of law, because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability of any person, where the offense is in or affects interstate or foreign commerce.Directs the United States Sentencing Commission to study the issue of adult recruitment of juveniles to commit hate crimes and, if appropriate, to amend the Federal sentencing guidelines to provide sentencing enhancements for such an offense.Requires the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make grants to State and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles.Authorizes appropriations to the Department of the Treasury and to DOJ to increase the number of personnel to prevent and respond to alleged violations of provisions regarding interference with specified federally protected activities, such as voting.