Florida lawmakers respond to COVID-19 with . tort reform
Even the Republican sponsor of the bill that would limit lawsuits admitted there were âfewer than 10â lawsuits that have been filed in Florida with claims related to COVID-19.
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Published Jan. 14
TALLAHASSEE â In response to businesses, schools, churches and healthcare providers that worry they could be sued for legal liability for exposing people to COVID-19, Florida legislators are fast-tracking a measure to do what they know best: limit lawsuits.
Meeting for the first time since the onslaught of the pandemic, the House Subcommittee on Civil Justice and Property Rights approved HB 7 along party lines on Wednesday. It will establish new barriers to lawsuits related to COVID-19. An identical bill is pending in the Senate for consideration during the 2021 legislative session, which starts March 2.
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A new report from Florida TaxWatch estimates that the state could lose hundreds of thousands of existing jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity if lawmakers don’t act to protect businesses from COVID-related lawsuits.
Lawmakers are moving quickly to to enact safeguards.
St. Petersburg State Senator Jeff Brandes is leading the charge to protect businesses from COVID lawsuits.
“Any type of lawsuit would essentially drive them under, because many of them are teetering on the brink,” said Brandes.
The protections would be retroactive to March.
St. Petersburg Republican Senator Jeff Brandes has filed a bill to protect business from “frivolous” COVID-19-related lawsuits. Brandes says the measure is at the top of his agenda.