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 insert the protections into House Bill 216.
Three Democrats voted against the bill. Committee Chairman John Albers says the bill resulted from negotiations among business groups and plaintiffs’ lawyers. Albers and other Republicans in the state Senate have said they need to protect businesses from such liability. Gov. Brian Kemp already exempted hospitals and medical professionals from liability by executive order, but protections run out when Kemp’s emergency powers expire.