(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, those records of a special commission formed pursuant to this article that reveal the commission’s rates of payment for health care services or the commission’s deliberative processes, discussions, communications, or any other portion of the negotiations with providers of health care services for rates of payment, shall not be required to be disclosed pursuant to the California Public Records Act, Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, or any similar local law requiring the disclosure of public records. However, three years after a contract or contract amendment has been executed, the portion of the contract or contract amendment relating to the rates of payment shall be open to inspection under Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title I of the Government Code.

(b) Notwithstanding the California Public Records Act, or Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of, and Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of, the Government Code, or any other provision of state or local law requiring disclosure of public records, those health care peer review and quality assessment records of a special commission authorized by this article, or a committee thereof, shall not be subject to disclosure. These records and proceedings of any such commission or committee and individual members of the commission or committee thereof shall be afforded all immunities, privileges, and protections available to “peer review bodies” as defined under Section 805 of the Business and Professions Code, including the protections of Section 1157 of the Evidence Code.

(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 523, Sec. 3. Effective October 4, 1995.)