MADISON – Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) – the combined state chamber, manufacturers’ association and safety council – called on Gov. Tony Evers and leaders of the legislature to include liability protections for businesses, universities, schools and other organizations in the current COVID-19 response legislation. In the most recent bill draft released by Gov. Evers, these types of critical measures were unfortunately not included.
“Employers throughout the state have taken countless steps and spent unknown sums of money to keep their workers, customers and the public safe,” said WMC Executive Vice President of Government Relations Scott Manley. “Without liability protections included in this bill, these businesses could face frivolous and potentially bankruptcy-causing lawsuits even though they did everything right to protect their people.”
WMC has urged the legislature and Gov. Evers to pass state-level liability protections since it released its Relief & Recovery Agenda earlier in the year. This legislation is even more important now because similar protections at the federal level were not included in the Phase 5 bill that was agreed to this week by Congress and President Donald Trump.
“COVID-19 and the government’s restrictions devastated business, and many are still facing challenges today,” added Manley. “These businesses need COVID-19 liability protections to ensure we can focus on restarting the Wisconsin economy, and not on padding the pockets of greedy trial lawyers.”
WMC recently led a coalition of more than 70 organizations including business groups, chambers of commerce and others asking Gov. Evers and the legislature to include these protections in the bill.
Click here to read the coalition letter that was sent on Dec. 10.
