May 4, 2020      9:00 AM

Legal liability may complicate reopening for many businesses across Texas

Added to all the thorny issues already facing the Legislature, state lawmakers may be asked to address business liability again, this time because of unanticipated circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic

Both Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have weighed in over the past week on protecting business from potential new liability regarding infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. Patrick has publicly asked the federal government to shield businesses from liability regarding exposure and Leader McConnell said that any such relief must be part of the next COVID-19 stimulus bill.

How does that shake out?

Well, US House Democrats do not seem likely to include business liability protection in a stimulus bill. Sources also suggest that even if something ends up in the next stimulus bill, it may not shield businesses from the most significant liability, just provide some minimal measures. McConnell has drawn a line in the sand, demanding some kind of liability language in the next bill but he has not spelled out exactly what he thinks it should look like.

So, what are we talking about?

By Jon Fisher

Copyright May 04, 2020, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved