article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Volunteer Protection Act of 1993''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) Findings.--The Congress finds and declares that-- (1) within certain States, the willingness of volunteers to offer their services has been increasingly deterred by a perception that they thereby put personal assets at risk in the event of liability actions against the organization they serve; (2) as a result of this perception, many nonprofit public and private organizations and governmental entities, including voluntary associations, social service agencies, educational institutions, local governments, foundations, and other civic programs, have been adversely affected through 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; and (4) because Federal funds are expended on useful and cost effective social service programs which depend heavily on volunteer participation, protection of voluntarism through clarification and limitation of the personal liability risks assumed by the volunteer in connection with such participation is an appropriate subject for Federal encouragement of State reform. (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to-- (1) promote the interests of social service program beneficiaries and taxpayers; and (2) sustain the availability of programs and nonprofit organizations and governmental entities which depend on volunteer contributions by encouraging reasonable reform of State laws to provide protection from personal financial liability to volunteers serving with nonprofit organizations and governmental entities for actions undertaken in good faith on behalf of such organizations. SEC. 3. NO PREEMPTION OF STATE TORT LAW. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to preempt the laws of any State governing tort liability actions. SEC. 4. STATE STATUTES PROVIDING FOR LIMITATIONS ON LIABILITY FOR VOLUNTEERS. An allotment may be increased for a State under the provisions of section 5, if the State statute referred to under subsection (a) of such section includes the following provisions: (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (4), any volunteer of a nonprofit organization or governmental entity shall incur no personal financial liability for any tort claim alleging damage or injury from any act or omission of the volunteer on behalf of the organization or entity if-- (A) such individual was acting in good faith and within the scope of such individual's official functions and duties with the organization or entity; and (B) such damage or injury was not caused by willful and wanton misconduct by such individual. (2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any civil action brought by any nonprofit organization or any governmental entity against any volunteer of such organization or entity. (3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the liability of any nonprofit organization or governmental entity with respect to injury caused to any person. (4) The following conditions on, and exceptions to, the granting of liability may be imposed for protection to any volunteer of an organization or entity required under paragraph (1): (A) The organization or entity shall adhere to risk management procedures, including mandatory training of volunteers. (B) The organization or entity shall be liable for the acts or omissions of its volunteers to the same extent as an employer is liable, under the laws of the State, for the acts or omissions of its employees. (C) The protection from liability shall not apply if the volunteer was operating a motor vehicle or was operating a vessel, aircraft, or other vehicle for which a pilot's license is required. (D) The protection from liability shall not apply in the case of a suit brought by an appropriate officer of a State or local government to enforce a Federal, State, or local law. (E) The protection from liability shall apply only if the organization or entity provides a financially secure source of recovery for individuals who suffer injury as a result of actions taken by a volunteer on behalf of the organization or entity. A financially secure source of recovery may be an insurance policy within specified limits, comparable coverage from a risk pooling mechanism, equivalent assets, or alternative arrangements that satisfy the State that the entity will be able to pay for losses up to a specified amount. Separate standards for different types of liability exposure may be specified. SEC. 5. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT AND ADJUSTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT ALLOTMENTS. (a) Certification and Block Grant Allotments.--In the case of any State which certifies, not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, to the Secretary of Health and Human Services that it has enacted, adopted, or otherwise has in effect State law which substantially complies with section 4, the Secretary shall increase by 1 percent the fiscal year allotment which would otherwise be made to such State to carry out the Social Services Block Grant Program under title XX of the Social Security Act. (b) Continuation of Increase.--Any increase made under subsection (a) in an allotment to a State shall remain in effect only if the State makes a certification to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, not later than the end of each 1-year period occurring successively after the end of the 2-year period described in subsection (a), that it has in effect State law which substantially complies with section 4(a). SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Act-- (1) the term ``volunteer'' means an individual performing services for a nonprofit organization or a governmental entity who does not receive compensation, or any other thing of value in lieu of compensation, for such services (other than reimbursement for expenses actually incurred or honoraria not to exceed $300 per year for government service), and such term includes a volunteer serving as a director, officer, trustee, or direct service volunteer; (2) the term ``nonprofit organization'' means any organization described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code; (3) the term ``damage or injury'' includes physical, nonphysical, economic, and noneconomic damage; and (4) the term ``State'' means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, any other territory or possession of the United States, or any political subdivision of any such State, territory, or possession.
summary: Volunteer Protection Act of 1993 - Prescribes circumstances under which volunteers working for nonprofit organizations or government entities shall be immune from personal financial liability for acts on behalf of the organization or entity. Sets forth exceptions and conditions that a State may impose on the granting of such immunity. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to increase by one percent the fiscal year allotment which would otherwise be made to a State to carry out the Social Services Block Grant Program under title XX of the Social Security Act if such State has, within two years, certified to the Secretary that it has enacted a State law which provides such immunity. Provides for the continuation of such increase based on an annual recertification.