What would putting a good samaritan law in place for college student help with?”
Good Samaritan laws in the United States are laws or acts protecting from liability those who choose to aid others who are injured or ill. They are intended to reduce bystanders’ hesitation to assist, for fear of being sued or prosecuted for unintentional injury or wrongful death. Similarly, in Canada, a good Samaritan doctrine is a legal principle that prevents a rescuer who has voluntarily helped a victim in distress from being successfully sued for ‘wrongdoing’. Its purpose is to keep people from being reluctant to help a stranger in need for fear of legal repercussions if they were to make some mistake in treatment. Good Samaritan laws vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, as will their interactions with various other legal principles, such as consent, parental rights and the right to refuse treatment. Such laws generally do not apply to medical professionals’ or career emergency responders’ on-the-job conduct, but some extend protection to professional rescuers when they are act
A Good Samaritan Policy for college campuses Student leaders at UMCP have long advocated for a Good Samaritan Policy for students contacting police and emergency services for students dangerously under the influence of alcohol. The policy has gained significant student support in past years, but broader campus community has been resistant. A committee was formed last year to review this issue to develop a policy for the University Senate (the campus shared governance body) to consider the policy. The Diamondback reports that the new proposed policy addresses many concerns of faculty and staff raised in previous years. The policy protects both the student under the influence and the student contacting emergency personnel from sanctions. Of note, UMCP students approved the policy by referendum during last year’s election with 90% support. In my view, the policy is long overdue at UMCP; it’s also a policy that other campuses should consider. The policy protects students who choose to make
