Wire Services
A House panel on Wednesday voted along party lines to back a fast-tracked proposal that would provide broad immunity from coronavirus-related lawsuits to businesses that have “substantially” complied with public-health guidelines.
The House Civil Justice & Property Rights Subcommittee voted 11-6 to advance the proposal (HB 7), with state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis in attendance championing the measure.
Patronis, whose family has long owned a Panama City Beach restaurant, testified at the meeting and called the bill monumental.
“We want to make sure we are doing right and that our small businesses are not under threat of constant lawsuits,” Patronis said.
Bill sponsor Lawrence McClure, a Dover Republican, said “fewer than 10” lawsuits have been filed against business owners related to COVID-19. However, he said the fear of litigation associated with a 1-in-100-year pandemic is real.
“I want to be clear, this bill is intended to give clarity to Florida businesses that if they are making a good-faith effort to comply with regulation, they will not have the cloud of frivolous litigation hanging over their head,” McClure said.
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Republished with permission of The News Service of Florida.
One comment
Sonja Fitch
January 16, 2021 at 9:12 am
Patronis ,weak! . Duffus Desantis is is willingly using Floridians! Yes business need protections! BUT there is sufficient data to expect and demand businesses take all reasonable precautions! We are a service economy! We have to prove and assure our consumers we are doing all that can do to be safe! Spring break????
Another super spreader or another opportunity to build our service economy!
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