April 23, 2020
DREDF and eleven other civil rights and consumer advocacy organizations sent a letter on April 23 to Governor Newsom, opposing an April 9 request from health provider organizations, including nursing homes, for complete immunity from “any administrative sanction or criminal or civil liability” during the COVID-19 crisis. The providers’ request was not limited to negligent treatment related to COVID-19, and included immunity from complaints about discriminatory treatment and inaccessible healthcare. Current state law already gives providers broad protection from liability during a state of emergency, and general negligence law has always required due consideration for the circumstances in which negligence is alleged. DREDF recognizes the sacrifice and dedication of the healthcare providers and workers, including Personal Care Assistants and Direct Care Professionals, who are on the front lines of the COVID crisis, but this is not the time to diminish accountability for nursing home residents or employees who may otherwise be asked to work without personal protective equipment.
Read the letter (PDF)