Governor Expands Special Session Call to Include COVID Liability

Saying that health care providers, businesses, churches and others shouldn’t be penalized for their efforts to respond to a declared state of emergency with COVID, Missouri Governor Mike Parson Thursday expanded his special session call to include COVID-19 liability.

The governor is calling on the Legislature to approve a bill with three main components:

The third component is premises liability protection for exposure claims, relating to a declared state of emergency.

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce called on the governor to expand the special session, saying six of Missouri’s eight bordering states have approved similar legislation. But House Democratic Leader Crystal Quade of Springfield says it will encourage reckless behavior by businesses who negligently put their employees and customers at risk.