A bill that would prevent lawsuits against companies and other groups by people who hire COVID-19, as long as federal and state health guidelines were being followed, passed the South Carolina Senate on Thursday.
The project, which was a top priority for business leaders in this session, passed 40-3 on Thursday. Now go home.
More than 15 other states have passed similar laws protecting companies if they follow all recommended steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The bill does nothing to protect people who do not follow the rules and endanger customers or employees, said Senate majority leader Shane Massey, one of the sponsors.
Opponents of the bill said that existing laws could solve the problem and pointed out that there is only one lawsuit pending in the state court in which someone blames a company for its illness.
The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce said its members want this bill to provide some certainty as they reopen and grapple with the challenges of the pandemic.
“It will go a long way in ensuring that they can remain operational, retain workers in South Carolina and overcome these difficult times,” said interim House CEO Swati Patel in a statement.
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