AUSTIN, Texas – Gov. Greg Abbott is leading the push to protect businesses from coronavirus-related lawsuits. He made liability protections an emergency item for state lawmakers to tackle this session.
"They have gone above and beyond throughout the pandemic to open and to operate safely. And yet, those same businesses now face the crosshairs of lawsuits," Gov. Abbott said during his State of the State address.
Texas has seen among the most COVID-related lawsuits in the country, but workplace-specific cases are significantly fewer according to a law firm tracking coronavirus litigation.
Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, is drafting a bill that would retroactively offer protection to businesses, health care providers and others who made "a good faith effort" to comply with state health guidance during the pandemic.
"We've had many businesses across the board that have suffered financially during these difficulties and we want to make sure the financial resources they have, for those businesses that have made it, that those financial resources don't go to fight litigation," Sen. Hancock said in an interview on Capital Tonight.
Some Democrats oppose the effort, arguing that legal hurdles are already high, and that businesses should be held accountable if they put their employees, clients or patrons at risk.
Sen. Hancock says he's working hard to make sure this is a bipartisan effort and it won't protect bad actors.