State Rep. Greg Markkanen today voted to approve a plan offering important legal protections to Michigan health care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Markkanen, of Hancock, said health care professionals have been forced to make incredibly difficult decisions while caring for patients under strained circumstances due to the coronavirus. Giving them legal protection will allow them to focus their time and energy on providing the best care possible to patients.

“Our health care workers deserve nothing but praise for the way they have stepped up and put their health on the line to save lives during these times,” said Markkanen, a former Army Medical Corpsman whose mother was a registered nurse. “They’re dealing with unprecedented conditions to fight a virus with no known cure. They should not have to worry about being targeted with lawsuits for circumstances beyond their control.”

Markkanen noted the proposal approved by the House closely reflects the medical liability protections the governor previously included in her executive order, which she recently rescinded. If enacted, Senate Bill 899 will ensure health care workers are protected until the pandemic is over. It also covers workers for actions they took at the beginning of the crisis before the governor first issued the order offering the liability protection.

“I am proud to stand up in support of our health care workers and make sure they have these important protections,” Markkanen said. “During this time, our doctors and nurses need to be able to focus on treating patients to the best of their ability.”

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