AB1,10,32 146.38 (1) (b) 2. A facility, association, or business entity, as specified in s.
3146.81 (1) (i) to (q).
AB1, s. 4 4Section 4. 146.38 (1) (b) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,10,65 146.38 (1) (b) 3. A person working under the supervision of or in collaboration
6with a person specified in subd. 1.
AB1, s. 5 7Section 5. 146.38 (1) (b) 4. of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,10,98 146.38 (1) (b) 4. A parent, subsidiary, or affiliate organization of a facility,
9association, or business entity, as specified in subd. 2.
AB1, s. 6 10Section 6. 146.38 (1) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,10,1511 146.38 (1) (bm) "Incident or occurrence report" means a written or oral
12statement that is made to notify a person, organization, or an evaluator who reviews
13or evaluates the services of health care providers or charges for such services of an
14incident, practice, or other situation that becomes the subject of such a review or
15evaluation.
AB1, s. 7 16Section 7. 146.38 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1,10,2017 146.38 (1m) No person who participates in the review or evaluation of the
18services of health care providers or facilities or charges for such services may disclose
19an incident or occurrence report or any information acquired in connection with such
20review or evaluation except as provided in sub. (3) or (3m).
AB1, s. 8 21Section 8. 146.38 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1,11,1422 146.38 (2) All persons, organizations , or evaluators reviewing or evaluating,
23whether from one or more entities, who review or evaluate
the services of health care
24providers in order to help improve the quality of health care, to avoid improper
25utilization of the services of health care providers, or to determine the reasonable

1charges for such services
shall keep a record of their investigations, inquiries,
2proceedings and conclusions. No such record may be released to any person under
3s. 804.10 (4) or otherwise except as provided in sub. (3) or (3m). No such record may
4be used in any civil or criminal action for personal injuries against the health care
5provider or facility or any other health care provider; however, except for incident or
6occurrence reports or records from other persons, organizations, or evaluators
7reviewing or evaluating health care providers,
information, documents or records
8presented during the review or evaluation may not be construed as immune from
9discovery under s. 804.10 (4) or use in any civil or criminal action merely because they
10were so presented. Any person who testifies during or participates in the review or
11evaluation may testify in any civil or criminal action as to matters within his or her
12knowledge, but may not testify as to information obtained through his or her
13participation in the review or evaluation, nor as to any conclusion of such review or
14evaluation.
AB1, s. 9 15Section 9. 146.38 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,11,1716 146.38 (2m) An incident or occurrence report may not be used in any civil or
17criminal action against a health care provider.
AB1, s. 10 18Section 10. 146.38 (3) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1,11,2319 146.38 (3) (intro.) Information acquired in connection with the review and
20evaluation of health care services shall be disclosed and records of such review and
21evaluation shall be released, with the identity of any patient whose treatment is
22reviewed being withheld unless the patient has granted permission to disclose
23identity
except as permitted under s. 146.82, in the following circumstances:
AB1, s. 11 24Section 11. 146.38 (3) (a), (b) and (c) of the statutes are amended to read:
AB1,12,2
1146.38 (3) (a) To the health care provider or facility whose services are being
2reviewed or evaluated, upon the request of such provider or facility;
AB1,12,43 (b) To any person with the consent of the health care provider or facility whose
4services are being reviewed or evaluated;
AB1,12,85 (c) To the person requesting the review or evaluation, for use solely for the
6purpose of improving the quality of health care, avoiding the improper utilization of
7the services of health care providers and facilities, and determining the reasonable
8charges for such services;
AB1, s. 12 9Section 12. 146.38 (3) (d) of the statutes is repealed.
AB1, s. 13 10Section 13. 146.38 (3) (e) of the statutes is repealed.
AB1, s. 14 11Section 14. 146.38 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,12,1712 146.38 (3m) (a) Information acquired in connection with the review and
13evaluation of health care services may be disclosed, and records of such review and
14evaluation may be released, in statistical form with the consent of the person
15authorizing or with the authority to authorize the review or evaluation. Information
16disclosed or records released under this subsection shall not reveal the identity of any
17patient except as permitted under s. 146.82.
AB1,12,2118 (b) Information acquired in connection with the review or evaluation of health
19care services may be disclosed, and the records of such a review or evaluation
20released, to any of the following persons, with the consent of the person authorizing
21or with the authority to authorize the review or evaluation:
AB1,12,2222 1. The employer of a health care provider, as defined in sub. (1) (b) 1. and 3.
AB1,12,2423 2. The parent, subsidiary, or affiliate organization of a health care provider, as
24defined in sub. (1) (b) 2.
AB1,13,2
13. The parent, subsidiary, or affiliate organization of the employer of a health
2care provider, as defined in sub. (1) (b) 1. and 3.
AB1, s. 15 3Section 15. 146.38 (3t) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,13,74 146.38 (3t) A record described under sub. (2) or an incident or occurrence report
5disclosed either under sub. (3) or (3m) or in violation of this section remains
6confidential and may not be used in any civil or criminal action against the health
7care provider or any other health care provider.
AB1, s. 16 8Section 16. 146.38 (6) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,13,139 146.38 (6) Health care provider specific information acquired by an
10administrative agency in order to help improve the quality of health care, to avoid
11the improper utilization of services of health care providers, or to determine the
12reasonable charges for health care services is exempt from inspection, copying, or
13receipt under s. 19.35 (1).
AB1, s. 17 14Section 17. 153.05 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,13,1715 153.05 (3m) The entity under contract under sub. (2m) (a) may report quality
16indicators identifying individual hospitals based on data the entity collects under
17this subchapter.
AB1, s. 18 18Section 18. 230.85 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1,14,519 230.85 (3) (b) If, after hearing, the division of equal rights finds that the
20respondent did not engage in or threaten a retaliatory action it shall order the
21complaint dismissed. The division of equal rights shall order the employee's
22appointing authority to insert a copy of the findings and orders into the employee's
23personnel file and, if the respondent is a natural person, order the respondent's
24appointing authority to insert such a copy into the respondent's personnel file. If the
25division of equal rights finds by unanimous vote that the employee filed a frivolous

1complaint it may order payment of the respondent's reasonable actual attorney fees
2and actual costs. Payment may be assessed against either the employee or the
3employee's attorney, or assessed so that the employee and the employee's attorney
4each pay a portion. To find a complaint frivolous the division of equal rights must
5find that s. 802.05 (2) or 895.044 has been violated.
AB1, s. 19 6Section 19. 802.10 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1,14,87 802.10 (7) Sanctions. Violations of a scheduling or pretrial order are subject
8to ss. 802.05, 804.12 and, 805.03, and 895.044.
AB1, s. 20 9Section 20. 809.103 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1,14,1010 809.103 (2) (a) Is frivolous, as determined under s. 802.05 (2) or 895.044.
AB1, s. 21 11Section 21. 814.04 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1,14,16 12814.04 Items of costs. (intro.) Except as provided in ss. 93.20, 100.195 (5m)
13(b), 100.30 (5m), 106.50 (6) (i) and (6m) (a), 111.397 (2) (a), 115.80 (9), 281.36 (2) (b)
141., 767.553 (4) (d), 769.313, 802.05, 814.245, 895.035 (4), 895.044, 895.443 (3),
15895.444 (2), 895.445 (3), 895.446 (3), 895.506, 943.212 (2) (b), 943.245 (2) (d), 943.51
16(2) (b), and 995.10 (3), when allowed costs shall be as follows:
AB1, s. 22 17Section 22. 814.29 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1,14,2418 814.29 (3) (a) A request for leave to commence or defend an action, proceeding,
19writ of error or appeal without being required to pay fees or costs or to give security
20for costs constitutes consent of the affiant and counsel for the affiant that if the
21judgment is in favor of the affiant the court may order the opposing party to first pay
22the amount of unpaid fees and costs, including attorney fees under ss. 802.05 and,
23804.12 (1) (c), and 895.044 and under 42 USC 1988 and to pay the balance to the
24plaintiff.
AB1, s. 23 25Section 23. 893.555 of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,15,2
1893.555 Limitation of damages; long-term care providers. (1) In this
2section:
AB1,15,33 (a) "Long-term care provider" means any of the following:
AB1,15,44 1. An adult family home, as defined in s. 50.01 (1).
AB1,15,55 2. A residential care apartment complex, as defined in s. 50.01 (1d).
AB1,15,66 3. A community-based residential facility, as defined in s. 50.01 (1g).
AB1,15,77 4. A home health agency, as defined in s. 50.01 (1r).
AB1,15,88 5. A nursing home, as defined in s. 50.01 (3).
AB1,15,99 6. A hospice, as defined in s. 50.90 (1).
AB1,15,1010 (b) "Noneconomic damages" has the meaning given in s. 893.55 (4) (a).
AB1,15,14 11(2) Except as provided in sub. (3), an action to recover damages for injury
12arising from any treatment or operation performed by, or from any omission by, a
13long-term care provider, regardless of the theory on which the action is based, shall
14be commenced within the later of:
AB1,15,15 15(a) Three years from the date of the injury .
AB1,15,1916 (b) One year from the date the injury was discovered or, in the exercise of
17reasonable diligence should have been discovered, except that an action may not be
18commenced under this paragraph more than 5 years from the date of the act or
19omission.
AB1,15,24 20(3) If a long-term care provider conceals from a patient a prior act or omission
21of the provider that has resulted in injury to the patient, an action shall be
22commenced within one year from the date the patient discovers the concealment or,
23in the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have discovered the concealment or
24within the time limitation provided by sub. (2), whichever is later.
AB1,16,9
1(4) The total noneconomic damages recoverable for bodily injury arising from
2care or treatment performed, or from any omission, by a long-term care provider,
3including any action or proceeding based on contribution or indemnification and any
4action for a claim by a person other than the injured person for noneconomic damages
5recoverable for bodily injury, may not exceed the limit under s. 893.55 (4) (d) for each
6occurrence on or after the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date], from
7all long-term care providers and all employees of long-term care providers acting
8within the scope of their employment and providing long-term care services who are
9found negligent.
AB1,16,18 10(5) A court in an action tried without a jury shall make a finding as to
11noneconomic damages without regard to the limit under s. 893.55 (4) (d). If
12noneconomic damages in excess of the limit are found, the court shall make any
13reduction required under s. 895.045 and shall award as noneconomic damages the
14lesser of the reduced amount or the limit. If an action is before a jury, the jury shall
15make a finding as to noneconomic damages without regard to the limit under s.
16893.55 (4) (d). If the jury finds that noneconomic damages exceed the limit, the jury
17shall make any reduction required under s. 895.045 and the court shall award as
18noneconomic damages the lesser of the reduced amount or the limit.
AB1,16,25 19(6) Notwithstanding the limits on noneconomic damages under this section,
20damages recoverable against a long-term care provider, and an employee of a
21long-term care provider acting within the scope of his or her employment and
22providing long-term care services, for wrongful death are subject to the limit under
23s. 895.04 (4). If damages in excess of the limit under s. 895.04 (4) are found, the court
24shall make any reduction required under s. 895.045 and shall award the lesser of the
25reduced amount or the limit under s. 895.04 (4).
AB1,17,4
1(7) Damages recoverable under this section against a long-term care provider,
2and an employee of a long-term care provider acting within the scope of his or her
3employment and providing long-term care services, are subject to the provisions of
4s. 895.045.
AB1,17,9 5(8) Evidence of any compensation for bodily injury received from sources other
6than the defendant to compensate the claimant for the injury is admissible in an
7action to recover damages for negligence by a long-term care provider. This section
8does not limit the substantive or procedural rights of persons who have claims based
9upon subrogation.
AB1, s. 24 10Section 24. 895.043 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 895.043 (3) (intro.) and
11amended to read:
AB1,17,1512 895.043 (3) Standard of conduct. (intro.) The plaintiff may receive punitive
13damages if evidence is submitted showing that the defendant acted maliciously
14toward the plaintiff or in an intentional disregard of the rights of the plaintiff.
did
15any of the following:
AB1, s. 25 16Section 25. 895.043 (3) (a) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,17,1817 895.043 (3) (a) Acted with the intent to cause injury to a particular person or
18persons.
AB1, s. 26 19Section 26. 895.043 (3) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,17,2120 895.043 (3) (b) Knew that the defendant's action that resulted in injury to one
21or more persons was practically certain to result in injury to one or more persons.
AB1, s. 27 22Section 27. 895.043 (6) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,18,323 895.043 (6) Unavailable defense. A voluntarily produced intoxicated or
24drugged condition is not a defense to liability for punitive damages if, had the actor
25not been in that intoxicated or drugged condition, he or she would have known that

1his or her action that resulted in injury to one or more persons, done while in the
2intoxicated or drugged condition, was practically certain to result in injury to one or
3more persons.
AB1, s. 28 4Section 28. 895.044 of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,18,8 5895.044 Damages for maintaining certain claims and counterclaims.
6(1) A party or a party's attorney may be liable for costs and fees under this section
7for commencing, using, or continuing an action, special proceeding, counterclaim,
8defense, cross complaint, or appeal to which any of the following applies:
AB1,18,119 (a) The action, special proceeding, counterclaim, defense, cross complaint, or
10appeal was commenced, used, or continued in bad faith, solely for purposes of
11harassing or maliciously injuring another.
AB1,18,1512 (b) The party or the party's attorney knew, or should have known, that the
13action, special proceeding, counterclaim, defense, cross complaint, or appeal was
14without any reasonable basis in law or equity and could not be supported by a good
15faith argument for an extension, modification, or reversal of existing law.
AB1,18,20 16(2) Upon either party's motion made at any time during the proceeding or upon
17judgment, if a court finds, upon clear and convincing evidence, that sub. (1) (a) or (b)
18applies to an action or special proceeding commenced or continued by a plaintiff or
19a counterclaim, defense, or cross complaint commenced, used, or continued by a
20defendant, the court:
AB1,19,521 (a) May, if the party served with the motion withdraws, or appropriately
22corrects, the action, special proceeding, counterclaim, defense, or cross complaint
23within 21 days after service of the motion, or within such other period as the court
24may prescribe, award to the party making the motion, as damages, the actual costs
25incurred by the party as a result of the action, special proceeding, counterclaim,

1defense, or cross complaint, including the actual reasonable attorney fees the party
2incurred, including fees incurred in any dispute over the application of this section.
3In determining whether to award, and the appropriate amount of, damages under
4this paragraph, the court shall take into consideration the timely withdrawal or
5correction made by the party served with the motion.
AB1,19,106 (b) Shall, if a withdrawal or correction under par. (a) is not timely made, award
7to the party making the motion, as damages, the actual costs incurred by the party
8as a result of the action, special proceeding, counterclaim, defense, or cross
9complaint, including the actual reasonable attorney fees the party incurred,
10including fees incurred in any dispute over the application of this section.
AB1,19,14 11(3) If a party makes a motion under sub. (2), a copy of that motion and a notice
12of the date of the hearing on that motion shall be served on any party who is not
13represented by counsel only by personal service or by sending the motion to the party
14by registered mail.
AB1,19,18 15(4) If an award under this section is affirmed upon appeal, the appellate court
16shall, upon completion of the appeal, remand the action to the trial court to award
17damages to compensate the successful party for the actual reasonable attorney fees
18the party incurred in the appeal.
AB1,19,24 19(5) If the appellate court finds that sub. (1) (a) or (b) applies to an appeal, the
20appellate court shall, upon completion of the appeal, remand the action to the trial
21court to award damages to compensate the successful party for all the actual
22reasonable attorney fees the party incurred in the appeal. An appeal is subject to this
23subsection in its entirety if any element necessary to succeed on the appeal is
24supported solely by an argument that is described under sub. (1) (a) or (b).
AB1,20,5
1(6) The costs and fees awarded under subs. (2), (4), and (5) may be assessed
2fully against the party bringing the action, special proceeding, cross complaint,
3defense, counterclaim, or appeal or the attorney representing the party, or both,
4jointly and severally, or may be assessed so that the party and the attorney each pay
5a portion of the costs and fees.
AB1,20,8 6(7) This section does not apply to criminal actions or civil forfeiture actions.
7Subsection (5) does not apply to appeals under s. 809.107, 809.30, or 974.05 or to
8appeals of criminal or civil forfeiture actions.
AB1, s. 29 9Section 29. 895.045 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1,20,1610 895.045 (3) Product liability. (a) In an action by any person to recover
11damages for injuries caused by a defective product based on a claim of strict liability,
12the fact finder shall first determine if the injured party has the right to recover
13damages. To do so, the fact finder shall determine what percentage of the total causal
14responsibility for the injury resulted from the contributory negligence of the injured
15person, what percentage resulted from the defective condition of the product, and
16what percentage resulted from the contributory negligence of any other person.
AB1,20,2117 (b) If the injured party's percentage of total causal responsibility for the injury
18is greater than the percentage resulting from the defective condition of the product,
19the injured party may not, based on the defect in the product, recover damages from
20the manufacturer, distributor, seller, or any other person responsible for placing the
21product in the stream of commerce.
AB1,20,2522 (c) If the injured party's percentage of total causal responsibility for the injury
23is equal to or less than the percentage resulting from the defective condition of the
24product, the injured party may recover but the damages recovered by the injured
25party shall be diminished by the percentage attributed to that injured party.
AB1,21,15
1(d) If multiple defendants are alleged to be responsible for the defective
2condition of the product, and the injured party is not barred from recovery under par.
3(b), the fact finder shall determine the percentage of causal responsibility of each
4product defendant for the defective condition of the product. The judge shall then
5multiply that percentage of causal responsibility of each product defendant for the
6defective condition of the product by the percentage of causal responsibility for the
7injury to the person attributed to the defective product. The result of that
8multiplication is the individual product defendant's percentage of responsibility for
9the damages to the injured party. A product defendant whose responsibility for the
10damages to the injured party is 51 percent or more of the total responsibility for the
11damages to the injured party is jointly and severally liable for all of the damages to
12the injured party. The responsibility of a product defendant whose responsibility for
13the damages to the injured party is less than 51 percent of the total responsibility
14for the damages to the injured party is limited to that product defendant's percentage
15of responsibility for the damages to the injured party.
AB1,21,1916 (e) If the injured party is not barred from recovery under par. (b), the fact that
17the injured party's causal responsibility for the injury is greater than an individual
18product defendant's responsibility for the damages to the injured party does not bar
19the injured party from recovering from that individual product defendant.
AB1,21,2120 (f) This subsection does not apply to actions based on negligence or a breach of
21warranty.
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