BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 609

By: Vasut

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In 2021, the Texas Legislature passed S.B. 6, which provided liability protection for certain individuals, organizations, and institutions relating to actions taken in response to pandemics. This legislation, however, did not protect business owners from liability if they chose not to impose vaccine mandates on their employees or businesses. H.B. 609 seeks to protect business owners and operators who choose not to require employees or contractors of their businesses to be vaccinated against a pandemic disease by exempting these owners and operators from liability for injury or death caused by the exposure of an individual to a pandemic disease through an employee or contractor.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 609 amends the Civil Practice and Remedies Code to exempt a business owner or operator that does not require employees or contractors of the business to be vaccinated against a pandemic disease from liability for injury or death caused by the exposure of an individual to the pandemic disease through an employee or contractor of the business. The bill applies only to a cause of action that accrues on or after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.