The state House of Representatives, on a 107-94 vote April 6, approved a bill that would offer limited civil liability protections to health care providers, schools, small business owners, farmers, restaurants and others, as long as they operated safely during the COVID-19 epidemic.

House Bill 605, whose prime sponsor is Rep. Torren Ecker, R-Adams, was designed, backers said, to deter the filing of frivolous lawsuits relating to COVID-19.