Georgia Chamber Supports Governor Kemp’s Signing of SB 359

The Georgia Chamber applauds Governor Kemp for signing Senate Bill 359 into law which protects Georgia businesses from liability due to the transmission of COVID-19. The bill provides a heightened standard of gross negligence for three types of claims: (1) claims for transmission of COVID-19, (2) claims for medical malpractice related to COVID-19, and (3) claims against manufacturers of personal protective equipment (PPE). The final bill also contains a potential defense of “assumption of the risk” for business owners who post a sign warning of the inherent dangers of contracting COVID-19.

Chris Clark, President & CEO of the Georgia Chamber shared, “We appreciate the leadership of our state in working hard to solve the ever-evolving challenges that COVID-19 produces for our economy and for our society. Thanks to Governor Kemp’s signing of SB 359 and continued admonition to practice safer health measures, Georgia can continue moving forward to a more resilient future.”

To read the full bill including the parameters for business operations to effectively find coverage under SB 359, please click here: http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20192020/195211.pdf. For ongoing updates on Georgia COVID-19 response, recovery and resiliency, please visit staging.gachamber.com/covid19.