A change to legislation seen as vital to attaining universal healthcare, but attacked by the Opposition and many of the island’s physicians, has managed to pass despite continuing objections in the Senate.

An unpopular clause in the Bermuda Health Council Amendment Act 2024 that threatened health providers with a prison term for failing to hand over healthcare data, which the One Bermuda Alliance branded “draconian and unfair”, was earlier dropped by legislators after failing to pass in the Senate.

The Upper House approved that amendment yesterday — but hostility to the legislation as a whole was maintained by opposition and independent senators.

It came down to a vote after Robin Tucker, the Opposition Leader in the Senate, led OBA senators in objecting to a third reading of the Bill, saying: “We support the amendment, but we object to this Bill in its entirety.”

Under Senate rules, objections meant that a decision on approving the legislation could have been carried over until the Senate’s next meeting, set for July 17.

However, independent senator Kiernan Bell sided with government senators in allowing the vote on passing the legislation to proceed.

Ms Bell, along with independent senator John Wight, next voted against approving the Bill.

However, it was passed by six to five when Joan Dillas-Wright, the Senate President, sided with the Government on the legislation.

The Act has been opposed over privacy implications in collecting healthcare data, particularly with the Personal Information and Privacy Act set to come into force next year.

The Senate next considered the Registrar of Companies (Annual Corporate Regulatory Fees) Amendment Act 2024, which Arianna Hodgson, the Junior Minister of Labour, Finance and Health, said “clarifies” regulatory fees legislation already approved by the Senate.

Douglas De Couto, the Shadow Minister of Finance, voiced the Opposition’s support, but said they had “reservations” over “administrative mistakes coming through” that subsequently required fixing.

Opposition senators also backed the Motor Car (Electric or Hybrid Private Motor Cars) Amendment Act 2024, passed last Friday in the House of Assembly.

The Act, brought by the Reverend Emily Gail Dill, Junior Minister of Transport, broadens the range of electric and hybrid vehicles available in Bermuda, given the Government’s 2023 commitment to do away with the sale and importation of internal combustible engine vehicles by 2035.

Car dealers had pushed for larger-sized green vehicles, allowing for 32 additional models on Bermuda’s market, but Dr Dill said the Government had sought to “strike a balance” with more modest increases permitting 11 new models.

The legislation was approved.