Katrina Volunteer Protection Act of 2005

KATRINA VOLUNTEER PROTECTION ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - September 14, 2005)

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, this did not go through committee, so I just had a question for the chairman of the committee, if the chairman would respond.

My question is what impact this will have on someone minding their own business, sitting at a stoplight, that gets rear-ended by someone headed to New Orleans in an automobile accident, simple negligence, with insurance. Does the innocent party now have to pay their own medical bills, or is there some provision in the bill that allows the insurance to still be available to pay the medical bills?

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, the bill says that if the driver of the car is operating as a volunteer without compensation and acting in good faith, the provisions of the bill apply.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, in this case, if the volunteer is hit and has an automobile accident, fully insured, you lose the insurance, the innocent victim is now subject to pay his own medical bills. Where, ordinarily, there would be compensation for the automobile accident, that is lost. These are people who could be in States not even affected, just sitting at a stoplight.

Usually, when we have these immunity bills, we provide that the insurance in an automobile accident, the insurance would apply. This would exempt the insurance. I think it is one of the problems of bringing bills like this to the floor without going through committee. I think we could have fixed that.

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