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6/12/2025
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Senate OKs bill protecting expressions of sympathy from health care providers
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STATE HOUSE – The Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Pamela J. Lauria to allow medical professionals to express sympathy to patients and their families without risk of legal reprisal.
The legislation (2025-S 0066) would declare that expressions of condolences, apologies, sympathy and the like made by health care providers or employees to patients or their families about suffering, injury or death are inadmissible as evidence in any claim or civil action involving that health care provider or employee.
The legislation is aimed at ensuring that health care professionals aren’t forced to remain silent at times when they appropriately would like to express feelings of care, concern and sympathy toward patients and their families.
“Health care providers enter this profession because they are compassionate and want to help people. They share intimate, often painful, human experiences with patients and families,” said Senator Lauria (D-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol, East Providence), who works as a primary care nurse practitioner. “Health care providers do care, and they should be able to offer expressions of sympathy and care to their patients and their families without the risk that those words will be used in court as an admission of any kind of guilt or wrongdoing.”
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, where Rep. Teresa A. Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett) is sponsoring companion legislation (2025-H 6210).
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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