Political Courage

Pennsylvania’s governor, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, showed political courage. He rejected a Republican bill that would grant legal immunity during 2020. The overly broad bill included all civil and criminal acts during the entire 2020 year even if unrelated to the coronavirus.

Gov. Wolf said the measure’s liability protections were so broad the legislation would have invited “the potential for carelessness and a disregard for public safety.”  Wolf’s veto message argued that with the pandemic spreading, it is not a good idea to be providing legal protections “for noncompliance or carelessness.”

Businesses do not deserve blanket immunity for all acts and omissions during 2020.  They should rely on juries to determine the reasonableness of their conduct.