Ohio House Passes Bill Protecting Skilled Volunteers from Liability

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The Ohio House has passed a bill that gives legal protection to certain volunteers who provide service and expertise during emergencies.

The measure gives architects, engineers, surveyors and tradespersons immunity from civil liability for errors or omissions that may occur while performing services during times of declared emergency. Ohio law doesn’t currently provide protection against civil lawsuits for such workers.

Immunity for those volunteers would extend throughout a period of declared emergency and for 90 days after.

Republican state Reps. Bill Blessing and Al Landis sponsored the bill, which will next head to the Ohio Senate.

Landis said in a statement that the bill allows skilled volunteers to get involved during emergencies without fearing reprisal.