Liability Bill in Montana Would Limit Virus Litigation January 12, 2021
A Montana Senate committee is considering a bill that would provide liability protection for businesses and health care providers against lawsuits related to the pandemic.
The Senate Business, Labor and Economic Affairs Committee held a hearing Friday on the bill, which Gov. Greg Gianforte has identified as a requirement in order to lift a statewide mask mandate put in place last summer by his Democratic predecessor Steve Bullock.
If the bill is voted into law, Montana would join several other states that have created COVID-19 liability protections since the onset of the pandemic. The bill would protect businesses and health care providers from COVID-19 related lawsuits as long as they follow federal, state and local public health guidance.
Legislation introduced Friday would protect businesses from COVID-related civil lawsuits, one of several benchmarks Gov. Greg Gianforte said earlier in the week he would like to see passed before lifting statewide public health requirements.
Industry associations came out in droves Friday morning in support of Senate Bill 65 in the Senate Business, Labor and Economic Affairs Committee, introduced by committee chair Steve Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Great Falls.
Those opposed to the legislation said it stripped consumers, employees and patients of their rights to sue for civil damages.
The bill would protect businesses, health care providers, places of worship and nonprofit organizations that are in compliance with precautionary measures issued at the city, county or state level, but would require no more of them to be considered safe from liability lawsuits. Fitzpatrick noted the proposal lifts the threshold for a lawsuit from ordinary negligence to gross negligence, which in s
Since the pandemic started last year, European citizens have had to radically realign their lives to the new reality. For the most part, this has meant rapidly migrating our personal and professional lives online. With this comes a broad range of policy measures aimed at reinforcing Europe’s connectivity and heightening cybersecurity standards across 2021.
The pandemic also resulted in vastly accelerated profits for many of the tech giants, highlighting their dominance across online markets and provoking concern among competition regulators in Brussels.
This, alongside a renewed commitment to further harmonizing rules for online services, contributed to the conception and presentation of the EU’s landmark Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act ahead of the Christmas break.
Legislation needed for Gianforte to lift mask mandate already introduced
By: John Riley
and last updated 2021-01-05 23:21:43-05
HELENA â Governor Greg Gianforte announced Tuesday one of the criteria needed before heâd remove the stateâs mask mandate was liability protection for businesses, nonprofits, schools and places of worship.
The Montana Chamber of Commerce approved of Gianforteâs new policies and have already been working with state Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls, to develop COVID-19 liability protection legislation.
âThatâs an issue that was identified not too long after the COVID pandemic broke out in Montana,â said Todd OâHair, Montana Camper of Commerce president/CEO. âItâs an issue that has hung with businesses, itâs an issue that theyâre very concerned about so thatâs been a top priority of ours moving forward.â
Legislation needed for Gianforte to lift mask mandate has been introduced
By: John Riley
and last updated 2021-01-06 13:33:57-05
HELENA â Governor Greg Gianforte announced Tuesday one of the criteria needed before heâd remove the stateâs mask mandate was liability protection for businesses, nonprofits, schools, and places of worship.
The Montana Chamber of Commerce approved of Gianforteâs new policies and have already been working with state Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick (R-Great Falls) to develop
âThatâs an issue that was identified not too long after the COVID pandemic broke out in Montana,â said Todd OâHair, the CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce. âItâs an issue that has hung with businesses, itâs an issue that theyâre very concerned about so thatâs been a top priority of ours moving forward.â