Emergency Care Liability Relief Act

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jul 22, 2004

Emergency Care Liability Relief Act - Limits noneconomic and punitive damages for injuries arising from the provision of uncompensated care by emergency care providers.

Authorizes the award of attorney's fees and costs in actions in which a party's liability or such damages are contested. Requires liability for such awards to be allocated to the nonprevailing party personally, the attorney or law firm representing such party if representation was on a contingent fee basis, or both, taking into account specified factors.

Requires the court, in actions in which liability or noneconomic or punitive damages described in this Act are contested, to instruct the jury that it must take into account the effect of the amount to be awarded in damages on the price and availability of health care liability insurance.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Shadegg, John B. [R-AZ-3] · R–AZ

Committees

Judiciary Committee

4 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Jul 22, 2004
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jul 22, 2004
Introduced in House
Jul 22, 2004
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Jul 22, 2004 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 18, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.4993 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4993, 108th Congress: Emergency Care Liability Relief Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/4993

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2004-07-22.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/108/bills/hr4993/BILLS-108hr4993ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-18T19:00:32Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.4993 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.4993 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4993, 108th Congress: Emergency Care Liability Relief Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/4993

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2004-07-22.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/108/bills/hr4993/BILLS-108hr4993ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-18T19:00:32Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4993 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.4993 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4993, 108th Congress: Emergency Care Liability Relief Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/4993

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2004-07-22.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/108/bills/hr4993/BILLS-108hr4993ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-18T19:00:32Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4993 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.4993 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4993, 108th Congress: Emergency Care Liability Relief Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/4993

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2004-07-22.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/108/bills/hr4993/BILLS-108hr4993ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-18T19:00:32Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4993 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.