A measure that would help shield businesses and health care providers from lawsuits related to COVID-19 passed the state House on Friday.
The House voted 83-31 to approve the measure (SB 72) and send it to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The bill is a priority for DeSantis, who's expected to sign it.
If enacted, businesses, governments and health care providers will be protected from COVID-19 lawsuits if they made a good effort to follow guidelines to prevent the spread of the disease.
For a lawsuit to move ahead, a plaintiff would have to show that the defendant deliberately ignored coronavirus guidelines.
A plaintiff would also need a signed affidavit from a doctor stating with reasonable certainty that injury or death caused by COVID-19 was a result of the defendant’s actions.
After Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, and House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, reached an agreement on details, the Senate voted 24-15 last week to approve the bill.
