Kentucky Enacts ‘Essential’ Business Covid-19 Liability Shield

Kentucky businesses designated “essential service providers” gained immunity to Covid-19 related negligence suits when a state bill quietly became law Sunday.

The bill, S.B. 5, protects manufacturers, health care institutions and other service providers such as funeral homes from suits alleging the businesses are liable for infecting an employee or customer with Covid-19. However, the law doesn’t block claims that a defendant spread Covid-19 either intentionally or through malicious actions.

Gov. Andy Beshear (D) didn’t sign the measure, which cleared the GOP-controlled legislature on mostly-partisan line votes. Instead, the bill automatically became law over the weekend under a state ...