Vegas Chamber asks state to protect businesses from lawsuits

The Vegas Chamber of Commerce is asking the state legislature to protect Nevada businesses from getting sued over coronavirus.

IS ASKING THE STATE LEGISLATURETO PROTECT NEVADA BUSINESSESFROM GETTING SUED OVERCORONAVIRUS.SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS AREJOINING THE FIGHT, SAYING ITWILL PRESERVE LOCAL JOBS.13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER KELSEYMCFARLAND EXPLAINS WHY SOME SAYIT'S ASKING TOO MUCH.THE VEGAS CHAMBER SAYS IT WANTSTO PREVENT LAWSUITS AGAINSTBUSINESSESWHICH FOLLOW CDC AND STATEHEALTH GUIDELINES.IT'S GETTING PUSH BACK FROMSOME WHO CALL IT "BLANKETIMMUNITY"(0:10-0:20) (1:15-1:23)THE VEGAS CHAMBER...ALONG WITH NEVADA RESORTS &RETAIL ASSOCIATIONS...ASKING THE STATE FOR SOME LEGALPROTECTION IN THIS PANDEMIC."WE SENT A FORMAL LETTER TO THEGOVERNOR AND WE HAVE BEEN INCONTINUOUS CONTACT WITH THEVARIOUS LEGISLATURES TO DISCUSSTHE IMPORTANCE OF HAVINGLIABILITY PROTECTION FROM COVERLAWSUITS" A MOVE IT SAYS WOULDPROTECT JOBS AND SMALLBUSINESS...AS LONG AS EMPLOYERS AREFOLLOWING THE RULES."IF YOU'RE NOT COMPLYING BY THESTATE MANDATED REGULATIONS THENYOU SHOULD NOT HAVE THATPROTECTION." HUGH ANDERSON,MANAGER OF HIGHTOWER LAS VEGAS,SAYS A LAWSUIT WOULD BECRIPPLING FOR AN EMPLOYER ..AND LEADTO MORE JOB LOSS."ANY BUSINESS THAT IS COMPLYINGWITH THE CDC AND STATEDIRECTIVES SHOULD BE HELDHARMLESS IF ONE OF THEIRCUSTOMERS OR EMPLOYEES GETSCOVID BECAUSE NOBODY CAN REALLYTELL WHERE THEY GOT IT FROM.""IT IS PROTECTING THEIR BOTTOMLINE AT THE EXPENSE OF THESAFETY OF THE PUBLIC" FORMERASSEMBLYMAN AND ATTORNEY JUSTINWATKINS ARGUES THAT THE MOVE ISASKING FOR BLANKET IMMUNITY...WHICH PROTECTS "BAD ACTORS""YOU ONLY NEED TO ASK FORFURTHER PROTECTIONS IF YOU'RENOT DOING THE RIGHT THING RIGHTNOW..THE SYSTEM ALREADY PROTECTS YOUIF YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE RULES.WATKINS ARGUES A LAWSUIT WILLALREADY BE THROWN OUT..IF IT'S CONSIDERED UNFOUNDED."THERE'S A REASON WHY YOUAREN'T SEEING ANY LAWSUITSAGAINST CASINOS OR BUSINESSESBECAUSE IT'S INCREDIBLY HARD TOPROVE.THE DIVISION OF INDUSTRIALRELATIONS SAYS 74 PERCENT OFBUSINESSES ARE IN SOUTHERNNEVADA ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITHHEALTH GUIDELINES.KM, 13 AN.LET'S GO TO 13 FIRST ALERTMETEOROLOGIST DANI BECKSTROM