Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 111 Part 1.djvu/242

 Ill STAT. 218 PUBLIC LAW 105-19-^JUNE 18, 1997 Public Law 105-19 105th Congress An Act June 18, 1997 [8.543] Volunteer Protection Act of 1997. 42 USC 14501 note. 42 USC 14501. To provide certain protections to volunteers, nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities in lawsuits based on the activities of volunteers. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the "Volunteer Protection Act of 1997". SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) FINDINGS. —The Congress finds and declares that— (1) the willingness of volunteers to offer their services is deterred by the potential for liability actions against them; (2) as a result, many nonprofit public and private organizations and governmental entities, including voluntary associations, social service agencies, educational institutions, and other civic programs, have been adversely affected by the withdrawal of volunteers from boards of directors and service in other capacities; (3) the contribution of these programs to their communities is thereby diminished, resulting in fewer and higher cost programs than would be obtainable if volunteers were participating; (4) because Federal funds are expended on useful and cost-effective social service programs, many of which are national in scope, depend heavily on volunteer participation, and represent some of the most successful public-private partnerships, protection of volunteerism through clsirification and limitation of the personal liability risks assumed by the volunteer in connection with such participation is an appropriate subject for Federal legislation; (5) services and goods provided by volunteers and nonprofit organizations would often otherwise be provided by private entities that operate in interstate commerce; (6) due to high liability costs and unwarranted litigation costs, volunteers and nonprofit organizations face higher costs in purchasing insurance, through interstate insurance markets, to cover their activities; and (7) clarifying and limiting the liability risk assumed by volunteers is an appropriate subject for Federal legislation because— (A) of the national scope of the problems created by the legitimate fears of volunteers about frivolous, arbitrary, or capricious lawsuits;

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