By Hope Shrum

TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS—The much-debated civil liability bill, House Bill 1002, passed through the Indiana House with a 76-20 final vote Monday. Now it will move to the Indiana Senate for review.

This bill, which would ensure businesses and other entities cannot be sued in many cases when visitors believe they contracted COVID-19 on business premises, was named a priority policy  for the 2021 session by Statehouse Republicans and Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb.

There was debate mainly from Statehouse Democrats about whether the bill unfairly limits the right to sue nursing homes and businesses in real cases where employees, patients and customers were exposed to COVID-19 due to negligence.FOOTNOTE:

Those opposing the bill said it may be protecting employers who have chosen not to keep their employees and customers safe. They also said it could protect nursing homes from being held responsible for abuse and neglect of residents.

When the bill was open for amendments, Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, proposed a change to the bill so cases of deaths in nursing homes would receive special scrutiny and not be able to claim liability immunity. That amendment failed in a 28-65 vote.

The author of the bill, Rep. Jerry Torr, R-Carmel, argued that the bill won’t stop anyone from suing a nursing home if they believe there is legitimate malpractice or abuse.

FOOTNOTE: Hope Shrum is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.