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ISSA Advocacy Recap—Indiana Senate Approves COVID-19 Liability Legislation
February 19, 2021
Welcome to the ISSA Advocacy Recap, our regular roundup of the latest public policy issues impacting the cleaning industry. This week’s recap touches on a COVID-19 liability bill heading to the desk of Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, virus liability legislation approved by Alabama lawmakers, the SBA’s attempts to expedite the PPP loan process, and more.
COVID-19 Liability Bill Heads to Indiana Governor’s Desk
The Indiana Senate voted 39-7 to send a bill giving businesses civil immunity from coronavirus-related lawsuits to Governor Eric Holcomb’s desk, the Indy Star reported. Every Republican in the Senate and two Democrats voted for the measure. Business liability protections was a top priority for Indiana’s business community, Republican legislative leaders, and Holcomb, so he’s likely to sign the measure.
Alabama Lawmakers Approve Virus Liability Legislation
Alabama lawmakers gave final approval to a bill that would shield businesses, health care providers, and others from lawsuits from employees and customers who claim they were exposed to COVID-19, according to The Associated Press. The bill would shield businesses, schools, health care providers, churches, and others from lawsuits over COVID-19 exposure and treatment unless the person could prove the entity was acting with reckless or intentional misconduct. The state’s House of Representatives voted 86-4 for the bill. It now moves to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey for her signature. Ivey had cited the bill—along with legislation to exempt coronavirus relief funds from state sales taxes and legislation to renew the state’s pool of industrial recruitment incentives—as the top priorities for the first two weeks of the legislative session.
SBA to ‘Speed Up’ PPP Loan Process
Tens of thousands of small businesses have faced delays in receiving emergency payroll support loans that the U.S. Congress authorized in December, Politico reported. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which acknowledges the delays were caused by efforts to ratchet up anti-fraud measures that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) lacked when it was first launched last year, revealed plans to “speed up the process and keep the government-guaranteed loans flowing.”
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