Tennessee freedom keepers - call to action
The following information was provided by #FREETN
URGENT! We need your help!
Please call and email our Representatives in the House TODAY! Their session begins at 3:30PM and they have rushed a bill to the floor that will place liability for the spread of coronavirus due to negligence on business owners, churches, schools (including private schools and daycare facilities), and individuals! The only guidance they have to define "negligence" is the health department guidelines. These are ever-changing guidelines and not mandatory currently according the governor, yet if this bill passes, anyone not adhering to them could be liable.(**If they don’t have time to hear it today, it will be heard at 8AM tomorrow, so please call and email today even if you’re seeing this later in the afternoon!**)
Here is the email I sent, feel free to copy and use the parts you agree with and make it your own!
Thank you all so much!
--------------------Good morning,
I’d like your help with HB2623 scheduled for the floor session this morning. I’m very concerned about the bill as it is written. This bill is intended to protect businesses and people from frivolous lawsuits about covid-19, but it unintentionally creates a cause of action to sue for the transmission of the coronavirus due to negligence.
Besides tier one hospital facilities that have insurance plans to cover them and clear policies in place to prevent the transmission of viruses, never before has anyone been able to sue for the transmission of a virus due to negligence. We should not start allowing it now.
That could easily lead to a case precedence for lawsuits regarding other transmissible diseases, like Hepatitis A, the flu, or chicken pox. What specifically will be defined as negligence under this bill since the health department guidelines are not mandated by the governor? And with how often they have changed, how much will people be expected to keep up with? Masks for employees? Masks for customers? Temperature checks? If the health department adds covid testing or a vaccine to its guidelines in the future, will failure to comply become part of the definition for negligence? And what about the way we are classifying COVID deaths in the state, where they are coded as a COVID-19 death if they die WITH COVID-19 but when the cause of death was actually something completely different? Does this bill leave room for them to sue? “Substantial compliance” needs to be removed with regards to private schools - for one, they should not have to adhere to different standards than public schools, secondly, this adds further confusion to the definition of negligence as I mentioned above.
This is a very dangerous and slippery slope. There should be no cause of action here. That would be the ultimate protection for everyone.
Representative Carter sponsored an amendment that passed in the judiciary subcommittee that would accomplish the same goal but does not have the unintended consequences. His amendment simply stated that there is no cause of action unless there is evidence that the transmission was caused by willful misconduct. This is the same classification we have in legislation for liability with the transmission of AIDS. I want you to see this amendment brought to the floor today and have your support for it.
I’m a small business owner. HB2623 as it is currently written would put me at risk for lawsuits as we do not enforce every guideline that is not mandatory. Would you please bring up my concerns on the floor this morning to discuss and advocate for an amendment using the same or similar language as Representative Carter’s amendment here:
“By deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting instead the following:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29, Chapter 34, Part 2 is amended by adding the following new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) ”Coronavirus” means both the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and coronavirus disease 2019, commonly referred to as COVID-19, for which the governor issued Executive Order Number 14 declaring a state of emergency, including any mutation of SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 that is the subject of a declared a public health emergency pursuant to § 58-2-107; and
(2) “Person” includes a corporation, firm, company, association, or other business entity.
(b) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, there is no cause of action against a person based on exposure to or contraction of coronavirus unless the person caused the exposure to or contraction of coronavirus by willful misconduct.
(c)
(1) This section applies to all causes of action accruing on or after the effective date of this act.
(2) This section remains in effect until January 1, 2022. Any claims that accrue while this section is in effect are subject to the section in perpetuity.
SECTION 2. this act shall take affect upon becoming a law, The public welfare requiring it. This act shall cease to be effective January 1, 2022.”
Thank you for your representation,
________________________
Representatives Emails:
rep.andrew.farmer@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.bob.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.brandon.ogles@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.bruce.griffey@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.bryan.terry@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.bud.hulsey@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.chris.hurt@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.chris.todd@capitol.tn.gov,
Rep.Clark.Boyd@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.clay.doggett@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.curtis.halford@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.curtis.johnson@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.dan.howell@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.dave.wright@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.david.byrd@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.dennis.powers@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.esther.helton@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.glen.casada@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.jason.zachary@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.jeremy.faison@capitol.tn.gov,
Rep.Jerome.Moon@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.jerry.sexton@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.john.crawford@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.john.holsclaw@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.john.ragan@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.johnny.garrett@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.justin.lafferty@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.kelly.keisling@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.kent.calfee@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.kevin.vaughan@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.kirk.haston@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.lowell.russell@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.mark.cochran@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.martin.daniel@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.mary.littleton@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.matthew.hill@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.micah.vanhuss@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.michael.curcio@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.mike.carter@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.mike.sparks@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.patsy.hazlewood@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.paul.sherrell@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.rick.tillis@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.robin.smith@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.ron.travis@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.rush.bricken@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.rusty.grills@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.ryan.williams@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.sabi.kumar@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.sam.whitson@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.scott.cepicky@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.susan.lynn@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.terri.lynn.weaver@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.timothy.hill@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.tom.leatherwood@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.william.lamberth@capitol.tn.gov,
speaker.cameron.sexton@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.antonio.parkinson@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.barbara.cooper@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.bo.mitchell@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.bob.freeman@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.darren.jernigan@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.dwayne.thompson@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.ga.hardaway@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.gloria.johnson@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.jason.hodges@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.jason.potts@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.jason.powell@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.jesse.chism@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.john.deberry@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.john.ray.clemmons@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.john.windle@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.larry.miller@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.london.lamar@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.mike.stewart@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.rick.staples@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.vincent.dixie@capitol.tn.gov,
rep.yusuf.hakeem@capitol.tn.gov,
___________________
Representatives Phone #s:
Charlie Baum (615) 741-6849
Bill Beck (615) 741-3229
Clark Boyd (615) 741-7086
Rush Bricken (615) 741-7448
David Byrd (615) 741-2190
Kent Calfee (615) 741-7658
Karen Camper (615) 741-1898
Dale Carr (615) 741-5981
*Sponsor of amendment* Mike Carter (615) 741-3025
Glen Casada (615) 741-4389
Scott Cepicky (615) 741-3005
Jesse Chism (615) 741-6954
John Ray Clemmons (615) 741-4410
Mark Cochran (615) 741-1725
Jim Coley (615) 741-8201
Barbara Cooper (615) 741-4295
John Crawford (615) 741-7623
*Bill Sponsor* Michael G. Curcio (615) 741-3513
Martin Daniel (615) 741-2287
John J. Jr. DeBerry (615) 741-2239
Vincent Dixie (615) 741-1997
Clay Doggett (615) 741-7476
Bill Dunn (615) 741-1721
Rick Eldridge (615) 741-6877
Jeremy Faison (615) 741-6871
Andrew Farmer (615) 741-4419
Bob Freeman (615) 741-0709
Ron M. Grant (615) 741-6890
Johnny Garrett (615) 741-3893
Bruce Griffey (615) 741-6804
Rusty Grills (615) 741-0718
Yusuf Hakeem (615) 741-2702
Curtis Halford (615) 741-7478
Mark Hall (615) 741-1350
G. A. Hardaway (615) 741-5625
Kirk Haston (615) 741-0750
David Hawk (615) 741-7482
Patsy Hazlewood (615) 741-2746
Esther Helton (615) 741-1934
Gary Hicks (615) 741-7480
Matthew Hill (615) 741-2251
Timothy Hill (615) 741-2050
Jason Hodges (615) 741-2043
John B. Holsclaw Jr. (615) 741-7450
Andy H. Holt (615) 741-7847
Dan Howell (615) 741-7799
Bud Hulsey (615) 741-2886
Chris Hurt (615) 741-2134
Darren Jernigan (615) 741-6959
Curtis G. Johnson (615) 741-4341
Gloria Johnson (615) 741-2031
Kelly Keisling (615) 741-6852
Sabi ‘Doc’ Kumar (615) 741-2860
Justin Lafferty (615) 741-4110
London Lamar (615) 741-3830
William Lamberth (615) 741-1980
Tom Leatherwood (615) 741-7084
Mary Littleton (615) 741-7477
Harold M., Jr. Love (615) 741-3831
Susan Lynn (615) 741-7462
Pat Marsh (615) 741-6824
Larry J. Miller (615) 741-4453
Bo Mitchell (615) 741-4317
Debra Moody (615) 741-3774
Jerome Moon (615) 741-5481
Brandon Ogles (615) 741-6808
Antonio Parkinson (615) 741-4575
Jason Potts (615) 741-2035
Jason Powell (615) 741-6861
Dennis Powers (615) 741-3335
John Ragan (615) 741-4400
Bob Ramsey (615) 741-3560
Jay D. Reedy (615) 741-7098
Tim Rudd (615) 741-2804
Iris Rudder (615) 741-8695
Lowell Russell (615) 741-3736
Speaker Cameron Sexton (615) 741-2343
Jerry Sexton (615) 741-2534
Johnny Shaw (615) 741-4538
Paul Sherrell (615) 741-1963
Robin Smith (615) 741-2548
Mike Sparks (615) 741-6829
Rick Staples (615) 741-0768
Mike Stewart (615) 741-2184
Bryan Terry (615) 741-2180
Dwayne Thompson (615) 741-1920
Rick Tillis (615) 741-4170
Chris Todd (615) 741-7475
Joe Jr. Towns (615) 741-2189
Ron Travis (615) 741-1450
James (Micah) Van Huss (615) 741-1717
Kevin Vaughan (615) 741-1866
Terri Lynn Weaver (615) 741-2192
Mark White (615) 741-4415
Sam Whitson (615) 741-1864
Ryan Williams (615) 741-1875
John Mark Windle (615) 741-1260
Dave Wright (615) 741-6879
Jason Zachary (615) 741-2264