Texas Governor Urges Business Protection From Pandemic Lawsuits

Texas needs to protect businesses from lawsuits during the pandemic and pass laws to prevent reductions in city police budgets, Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday night in his State of the State address.

“Texas businesses that have operated in good faith shouldn’t have their livelihoods destroyed by frivolous lawsuits,” Abbott (R) said. “I am asking the Legislature to quickly get a bill to my desk that provides civil liability protections for individuals, businesses, and health-care providers that operated safely during the pandemic.”

The governor underscored that request in his address as one of five emergency measures—effectively allowing lawmakers to fast-track ...