HB 287 LEGAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT PUBLICATION

Rep Meredith Dixon

Actions: [5] not prntd-HRC

Scheduled: Not Scheduled

 House Bill 287 (HB 287) requires the publication of terms of certain legal settlement agreements and provides for loss prevention review teams and reports.  

 First, House Bill 287 (HB 287) enacts a new section of the Sunshine Portal Transparency Act that requires the publication of legal settlement agreements. 

The bill requires that state agencies who settle a claim without the assistance of the Risk Management Division must, within 30 days of entering into the agreement, have it published on the sunshine portal. The exception to this requirement is if the settlement agreement states that the settlement is confidential. 

Second, HB 282 enacts a new section of law relating to the Risk Management Division (“Division”) of the General Services Department. It requires state agencies to immediately notify the Division upon becoming aware of a person’s death or serious injury or substantial loss (greater than $100,000) that is alleged or suspected to be caused by the actions of a state agency. When such a death or injury occurs, the state agency must appoint a “loss prevention review team” who reviews the incident, evaluate its causes and recommends steps to reduce the risk of such incidents reoccurring. The loss prevention review team must prepare a written report within 6 months of the incident to be sent to the director of the Division and head of the agency. The bill provides for the composition of the team and requires state agencies to provide access and documents to the team. 

Third, the bill requires the director of the Division to submit yearly reports to the legislature regarding loss prevention reviews of the prior fiscal year.  

HB 282 is effective July 1, 2024.