Bill offering liability protection from COVID-19 exposure clears committee

An amended version of a bill to protect businesses that take health precautions from being sued over possible exposure to COVID-19 passed out of the Senate Business and Labor Committee on Friday.

Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Great Falls, is carrying the bill and also brought the amendment. Both the amendment and the bill passed on a 8-3 party-line vote, with Republicans voting for it and Democrats against.

A bill that would protect businesses, churches, nonprofits and other organizations from civil liabilities from lawsuits over exposure to the virus is one of the requirements laid out by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte to lift the statewide mask mandate. The other is a more widespread distribution of the vaccine.

A spokesperson for Gianforte said Friday he was communicating with lawmakers on bills like Fitzpatrick’s to meet his condition.

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