The head of Indiana’s leading small business association, NFIB, or the National Federation of Independent Business, testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee January 6, 20201, on the importance of passing much needed COVID-19 liability reform for Indiana’s hard working small business owners. NFIB’s State Director in Indiana, Barbara Quandt, stressed the importance of protecting small business owners who are doing everything in their power to protect their customers and employees from the economic and health pandemic from frivolous lawsuits. It’s something that could put the already hurting entrepreneurs out of business for good.

“That is why we need your help. Small business owners who are already strapped, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, do not have the money to pay for legal help. Our small business owners are doing everything they can to protect their employees and their customers. They are spending thousands of dollars and following city, state, and federal regulations to keep their doors open and Indiana’s economy going strong,” said Barbara Quandt, NFIB State Director in Indiana.

A recent NFIB survey found if economic conditions do not improve in the next six months, one in four small business owners will go out of business. That’s why Indiana lawmakers to act now. Indiana’s 2021 state ballot shows that 98.7% of the state’s members are in favor of supporting liability protection legislation. The last thing our hard-working Hoosier small business owners need is to fend off a costly frivolous lawsuit. Small business owners don’t have the resources like big companies with an inhouse team of lawyers.

This legislation is a no-brainer. Small businesses create most of the net new jobs. It only makes sense to protect them from frivolous legal action. Liability protection would not be extended to those businesses exhibiting gross misconduct or negligence. Liability protection would only apply to those that follow federal, state, and local guidance. Therefore, if a business makes a good faith effort to follow guidelines to safeguard employees and customers, it should be protected from frivolous lawsuits.