MADISON – Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) – the combined state chamber, manufacturers’ association and safety council – applauded the State Assembly for passing critical COVID-19 liability protections on Thursday.
“Any piece of legislation responding to COVID-19 must include liability protections for businesses and other organizations who took countless steps to keep people safe in the face of a global pandemic,” said WMC Executive Vice President of Government Relations Scott Manley. “We thank the Assembly for including this language in their COVID-19 legislation and hope these types of protections will soon become law in Wisconsin.”
Without these protections, organizations including businesses, schools, universities, non-profits and others could face costly litigation – even though they did everything right to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Importantly, the liability protections contained in AB 1 would not protect entities that participated in reckless or wanton conduct, or intentional misconduct.
A coalition of more than 70 organizations led by WMC – including business groups, chambers of commerce and others – recently asked the legislature and governor to support these protections. Additionally, similar legislation has been passed in at least four states with split government – Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada and North Carolina. Overall, more than 20 states have enacted some type of COVID-19 liability protection.
WMC testified in support of COVID-19 liability protections on Tuesday to the Assembly Committee on Health. That testimony is available by clicking here.
