A Georgia Senate committee wants to protect businesses, governments, property owners and emergency personnel from being sued if someone claims they contracted COVID-19 because of them.
The Senate Public Safety Committee voted Monday to amend House Bill 216, which originally would have created a fundraising license plate for the Georgia Tennis Foundation, to include the protections. Three Democrats voted against the bill. The measure will move to the full Senate for more debate.
Committee Chairman John Albers, a Roswell Republican, said the bill was the product of negotiations among business groups and plaintiffs’ lawyers, although the GOP leadership of the Senate has clearly said it wants to protect the interests of businesses with the measure. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce and others have called for a lawsuit shield.
Read this story now for free
To continue reading, sign up for our newsletter and get unlimited access to WABE.org
You can select your preferences for news and local content. We will never share your email address. Learn how your newsletter sign-up will support WABE and Public Media
