AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE IN PARTICULAR ACTIONS -- RHODE ISLAND MEDICAL LIABILITY ACTIONS

HB 7646 creates a pre-trial medical malpractice tribunal to screen cases before they proceed to superior court, directly affecting patients suing healthcare providers for alleged negligence and the providers defending such claims. The tribunal, composed of a superior court judge, an attorney, and a healthcare provider (matching the defendant’s specialty), must review the plaintiff’s evidence within 15 days to determine if it raises a legitimate question of liability or is merely an unfortunate medical outcome. If the tribunal finds the case insufficient, the plaintiff must post a $6,000 bond (reducible for financial hardship) to continue, or face dismissal without prejudice. The bill applies to all medical malpractice cases filed on or after January 1, 2027, with the tribunal’s findings admissible as evidence at trial.