Bills Target Sovereign Immunity Defenses for Government Employers

The author of a bill that would prohibit government entities from claiming sovereign immunity when sued by first responders for violating workers’ compensation and retaliation laws said he is optimistic the measure will pass this session. House Bill 451, sponsored by Joe Moody, D-El Paso, would allow first responders to sue state or local governments that violate Section 451.001 of the Labor Code or retaliate against them for filing a claim. An identical bill, HB 512, passed the House 130-9-1 on April 30, 2015, but never made it out of a Senate committee. “In the l...