Today, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed into law House Bill 118, which provides certain liability protections when there has been exposure to the COVID-19 virus.
This new law may be of potential interest to some AKC-affiliated clubs with deep concerns about conducting their events while under a higher-than-normal exposure to liability risks.
Among other provisions, the new law would protect any “person” (including individuals, corporations, and non-profit corporations, among others) “in any claim for relief arising from any act or omission alleged to have resulted in the contraction of COVID-19”.
The new law further requires that when a person owns or has control, custody, or possession of a premises, they must provide reasonable notice to individuals present of actions taken for the purpose of reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19. If reasonable notice is given and an individual fails to follow guidelines or procedures, then the person owning/possessing the premises is not considered liable.
This protection does not include acts that are considered “gross negligence, willful or wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing.”
AKC Government Relations continues to track bills across the country relating to the issue of COVID-19 liability. For the latest information on this topic, visit the COVID-19 Liability key issues page in the AKC Legislative Action Center.
To view AKC legislative information and updates relating to COVID-19 and how they are impacting dogs, events, and businesses, visit www.akcgr.org/covid19.