Signed by Governor John Bel Edwards

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report and pass a bill establishes legal immunity for COVID-19 exposure claims to businesses and government agencies.

Highlights:

• Specifies that no person, state or local government, or political subdivision will be liable for any civil damages for injury or death resulting from or related to exposure to COVID-19 in the course of or through the performance of the person’s, government’s, or political subdivision’s business operations unless the person, government, or political subdivision failed to substantially comply with the applicable COVID-19 procedures and the injury or death was caused by gross negligence or reckless misconduct (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that no business event strategist, association meeting planner, independent trade show organizer or owner, or any other entity hosting, promoting, producing, or otherwise organizing an event will be liable for any civil damages for injury or death resulting from exposure to COVID-19 unless such damages were caused by gross negligence or willful misconduct (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that an employee whose contraction of COVID-19 is determined to be compensable under the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Law will have no remedy based in tort for such exposure against their employer or any other person or entity potentially liable unless the exposure was intentional (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that employees who contact COVID-19 and are not covered by the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Law will have no remedy in tort for such exposure against their employer or any other person potentially liable unless the exposure was intentional (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that no one who designs, manufactures, labels, or distributes personal protective equipment (PPE) in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency will be liable for civil damages for injury or death caused by such PPE unless such damages were caused by gross negligence or willful misconduct (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that no one who uses, employs, dispenses, or administers PPE will be liable for civil damages for injury or death resulting from or related to the PPE, unless the person failed to comply with the applicable procedures to govern PPE, during the COVID-19 public health emergency (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text