PALM COAST, FL (March 30, 2021) – The Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce applauds the efforts of the Florida Legislature and Governor DeSantis for the passage and signing of SB 72, a chamber-backed bill that protects businesses from frivolous COVID-19 lawsuits.
SB 72 was the first piece of legislation to not only pass both the Florida House and Senate, but also the first to receive Governor DeSantis’ signature during the 2021 Florida Legislative Session.
“The Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber was launched during a pandemic, in part, to help business owners successfully emerge from the global pandemic,” said Greg Blosé, President & CEO of the Chamber. “Protecting these businesses from frivolous lawsuits, in a state where it is easier to sue a business than almost any other state, was incredibly important.”
Blose continued, “In Flagler County, an untold number of businesses have closed their doors, and today, we have 1,679 fewer jobs than we had one year ago. Thanks to the leadership of Senator Travis Hutson and Representative Paul Renner, Flagler County business owners can finally breathe a sigh of relief knowing they won’t be unjustly targeted in a COVID-19 liability lawsuit. If a business owner followed CDC guidelines and took steps to protect the public, they have nothing to worry about. Businesses that did not follow CDC guidelines may now have to answer for their actions.”
SB 72 places the burden of proof on the plaintiff to prove that a business failed to follow CDC guidelines prior to the litigation moving forward, in effect, protecting those who followed the rules and creating a better pathway forward to hold those business owners accountable, who failed to follow the rules.
For more information, contact Greg Blosé, President and CEO of the Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber, at 386-846-1864 or via email at Greg@PalmCoastFlaglerRegionalChamber.com.
Featured Photo: Florida Chamber of Commerce
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