Several bills under consideration by the Michigan House of Representatives could change how businesses are affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
One pair of bills would limit when people could sue a business that caused them to contract COVID-19. Another set would waive sales tax for businesses buying personal protective equipment, or PPE, to protect against the virus.
The bills limiting lawsuits would establish strict guidelines for situations where a lawsuit could go forward.
House Bill 6030 would make it so a person who tested positive for COVID-19 after being exposed at a business would not be able to sue unless that infection caused them to:
- be hospitalized
- be unable to work for at least 14 days NOT including 14 days of quarantine
- die
House Bill 6031 would protect all businesses from coronavirus lawsuits unless that business “willfully exposed” someone to the virus.
Both bills are being considered by the Judiciary Committee of the House.
House Bills 6033, 6034 and 6035 would exempt businesses from state sales taxes for any PPE or other equipment they buy to comply with COVID-19 safety measures. Those bills are being considered by the House Tax Policy Committee.
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