Indiana governor approves COVID-19 lawsuit shield
UPDATE: Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the bill into law on Feb. 18.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A bill giving Indiana businesses and others broad protections from lawsuits by people blaming them for contracting COVID-19 has received final approval from state lawmakers.
The state Senate voted 39-7 Monday to send the bill to GOP Gov. Eric Holcomb, who has endorsed the proposal.
House members voted last week to approve the bill, which is a top priority of Republican legislative leaders. Supporters don’t point to any such lawsuits in the state.
The proposal would be retroactive to March 1.
Democrats questioned whether the protections are too broad, especially as they could block lawsuits against nursing homes over illnesses and deaths among residents.