The House Judiciary Committee heard HB 1343 giving protection to the New Harmony and Wabash River bridge authority authored by Rep. Hostettler and Rep. McNamara. The bill provides that the New Harmony and Wabash River bridge authority (bridge authority) and its members, officers, and employees are immune from civil liability resulting from any act or omission related to implementation of the statute that establishes the bridge authority. It also provides that the immunity does not extend to a person who commits an act or omits to do an act that amounts to gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct. The bill requires the Attorney General to defend the bridge authority and its members, officers, and employees if any of these are made a party to a civil suit and the attorney general determines that the suit has arisen out of an act or omission of any of these authorized or required under the bridge authority law or any other law. It also repeals an existing statute in the bridge authority law relating to civil immunity.
The bill was amended by consent to make it effective upon passage. The amended bill passed 11-0.
Read the bill at: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2020/bills/house/1343