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The Senate gave preliminary approval Thursday to legislation designed to make it more difficult for patients injured in emergency rooms to successfully sue for damages.

Medical-malpractice lawsuits now require a plaintiff to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the care received did not meet professional standards. That is usually defined as usually meaning the doctor erred.

SB 1032 would instead require proof by clear and convincing evidence, which is harder to prove. Sen. Carolyn Allen, R-Scottsdale, said the change should alleviate burdens on emergency room personnel and make doctors more willing to work there.

On a voice vote, the House gave preliminary approval Thursday to making it easier for severely disabled children to go hunting for big game.

A two-year-old state law allows hunters who obtain one of a limited number of tags to hunt specified animals to transfer it to an organization that works with dying children. HB 2117 expands that to include groups that assist children with physical disabilities who also want to hunt.

Rep. Jerry Weiers, R-Phoenix, said only children who have completed hunter-safety courses would be eligible. The measure, which needs a final House vote, covers wild turkey, javelina, buffalo, deer, elk, antelope, bighorn sheep, bears and mountain lions.

People who have a concealed-weapon permit but forget to carry it with them would no longer face possible jail time under legislation approved Thursday by the House Judiciary Committee. Failure to carry the permit is a Class 2 misdemeanor, with a potential four months in jail and a $750 fine. HB 2469, which now goes to the full House, would change that to a petty offense with a maximum $300 fine.