The Tennessee General Assembly passed a measure Wednesday to provide limited immunity from COVID-19-related lawsuits.
The bill now goes to Gov. Bill Lee for his signature.
Both chambers passed the Tennessee COVID-19 Recovery Act, which would provide immunity for Tennessee businesses, schools, health care workers and other entities from COVID-19-related lawsuits except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
The bill raises the standard of liability that must be made in civil lawsuits over COVID-19 damages. It passed along party lines, in votes of 27-4 in the Senate and 80-10 in the House, with one member present, not voting.
Similar to bills debated in June by both chambers, the Tennessee COVID-19 Recovery Act provides immunity from lawsuits over loss, damage, injury or death arising from COVID-19, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
“This bill will embolden people who have not been taking the pandemic seriously to do even less,” Sen. Sara Kyle, D-Memphis, said. “This bill will endanger workers and consumers while deliberately protecting people who are not behaving responsibly during the pandemic.”
The new law will take effect when the governor signs it, and it will apply to any lawsuits filed in Tennessee as of Aug. 3, the day Lee called for this week’s special session.
“When the governor made that call, the whole state knew – the state had notice that we are taking it up,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman and bill sponsor Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, explaining the rationale of the Aug. 3 retroactive date.
The liability protection law will be effective until July 1, 2022.
The Legislature also passed a measure Wednesday to expand telehealth services and insurance coverage of telehealth services. House Bill 8002 passed both chambers almost unanimously.
