§ 36-6A-27 — Immunity from liability for acts of members of professional committees--Confidentiality of committee communications.

There may be no monetary liability on the part of, and no cause of action for damages may arise against, any member of a duly appointed committee of a state or local professional society, comprised of dentists or dental hygienists, for any act or proceeding undertaken or performed within the scope of the functions of the committee which is formed to maintain the professional standards of the society established by its bylaws, if the committee member acts without malice, has made a reasonable effort to obtain the facts of the matter as to which the committee member acts, and acts in reasonable belief that the action taken by the committee member is warranted by the facts known to the committee member after a reasonable effort to obtain facts. For the purposes of this section, the term, professional society, means any dental organization having as members at least a majority of the eligible licensees in the area served by the particular society. The provisions of this section do not affect the official immunity of an officer or employee of a public corporation. No communications either to or from any committee or its members or its proceedings, if acting as a peer review committee concerning the ethical or professional practices of any dentist are discoverable for any purpose in any civil or criminal action. However, a communication is discoverable in an administrative proceeding as contemplated by chapter 1-26 . All such communications are confidential. The committee shall transfer all documentation material to a complaint to the board upon subpoena by the board or upon filing a complaint. The confidentiality provided in this section ceases upon transfer of the material to the board.

Legislative History

SL 1975, ch 233; SL 1981, ch 276; SL 1986, ch 305, § 1; SL 1992, ch 269, § 19; SL 2015, ch 199, § 26.