Louisiana Enacts Reforms During the COVID-19 Pandemic

JD Supra
Javier Jalice & Mark Mallery, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
July 31, 2020

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards recently signed into law Act 336 of the 2020 Regular Session, which was filed in the Louisiana State Legislature as House Bill 826. The new act limits the liability to which Louisiana businesses and employers could be exposed due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency. Specifically, the law creates two statutes—La. Rev. Stat. § 9:2800.25 and La. Rev. Stat. § 29:773—that limit the potential liability of businesses and employers operating in Louisiana for COVID-19 contractions and related injuries. The law is retroactive to March 11, 2020.

Governor Edwards also signed into law Act 37 of the 2020 First Extraordinary Session, which was filed in the legislature as House Bill 57. This new act—titled the “Civil Justice Reform Act of 2020”—provides additional protections to Louisiana businesses and changes Louisiana’s civil litigation rules. This new law will take effect on January 1, 2021.