H.R. 3656: ACCESS Act of 2019
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H.R. 3656: ACCESS Act of 2019
116th Congress · introduced 2019-07-09 · Health · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2019-07-09 · official record
- Who proposed it: Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-8] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
ACCESS Act of 2019
Plain summary
Accessible Care by Curbing Excessive lawSuitS Act of 2019 or ACCESS Act of 2019 This bill establishes rules for health care lawsuits where some amount of coverage or care was provided or paid for by a federal program, regardless of the number of other parties to the claim. The bill sets a three-year maximum statute of limitations from the date of the injury, subject to specific exceptions. Further, noneconomic damages (e.g., damages for pain and suffering) are limited to a maximum of $250,000. The bill permits courts to supervise and limit contingent fees paid to attorneys and sets a maximum contingent fee percentage based on a downward sliding scale as a damages increase. The bill permits either party to introduce evidence of collateral source benefits (e.g., workers’ compensation programs, accident insurance coverage, or other future benefit). Statements by a health care provider expressing fault, sympathy, or apology are, however, inadmissible as evidence of liability. Additionally, a plaintiff must give 90 days’ notice to the health care provider before filing a lawsuit. When filing a health care lawsuit, plaintiffs also must simultaneously submit an affidavit in support of the claim from a health care professional who meets the standards for an expert witness that are provided in the bill. This bill generally does not preempt state laws that impose additional limits on health care liability claims.
Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
What a vote does
A “Yea” vote
If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.
A “Nay” vote
If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.
PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).
What does this mean? (plain words)
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The strongest published arguments
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Alternatives
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-8] · 3 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
Cosponsors on this site
Roger Marshall (R-KS)
Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-8] reported raising $4.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.
No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.
Words on this page, explained (3)
- Bill
- A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
- Rulemaking
- The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
- Statute
- A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr3656.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>
Record fed-us-cong116-hr3656 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116