Poll Results: Majority of Florida Voters Support COVID-19 Liability Protections

Over 70 percent of respondents agree businesses, healthcare providers should be shielded from frivolous lawsuits

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch and Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy, Inc. today released the results of a February 2021 poll, which indicate Floridians strongly support COVID-19 business and healthcare liability protections by 72 percent and 74 percent, respectively. Notably, these sentiments transcended party affiliation, as well as age, gender, race/ethnicity, and region.

Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said, “Florida TaxWatch has been a longtime advocate of this issue and, clearly, we hit the mark. Through this survey, we confirmed that the vast majority of taxpayers want to shield responsible, hard-working business owners and dedicated healthcare workers from frivolous COVID-19 liability lawsuits. Make no mistake – we must ensure that good actors are protected, and bad actors are punished, but Floridians recognize that if this legislation does not pass, we are headed down a slippery slope that has the potential to destroy our economy by as much as $27.6 billion with an annual job loss of more than 356,000.”

Bipartisan support for House Bill 7 by State Rep. Lawrence McClure (R-Plant City) andSenate Bill 72 by State Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) is further evidenced by these poll results:

·         Democrats: Sixty-four percent of Democrats back protections for businesses, and 76 percent support protecting healthcare providers

·         Republicans: Republican respondents believe in protections for businesses by 81 percent and healthcare provider protections by 71 percent

·         Independents: Independents’ responses closely matched the statewide numbers, with 70 percent backing businesses and 75 percent for healthcare providers

The poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon out of Jacksonville via landline and cell phone from Feb. 24 to Feb. 28, 2021. A total of 625 registered Florida voters were interviewed live with a margin of error at +/- 4 percent.

A detailed breakdown of the results can be found in the provided attachment and will also be discussed during Florida TaxWatch’s State of the Taxpayer Day virtual event this Friday, March 5, 2021 from 1 to 3 p.m. To register, please click here.

To read the Florida TaxWatch report on the need for COVID-19 liability protections for responsible businesses and healthcare providers, click here.