I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5898 
To protect covered entities that take measures to comply with the guidelines 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent or mitigate 
the spread of the virus that causes COVID–19, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 5, 2021 
Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida (for herself, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. CAS-
TRO of Texas, Mr. CRIST, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. GALLEGO, Ms. GARCIA of 
Texas, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Mrs. KIRK-
PATRICK, Mr. SOTO, Mr. VEASEY, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, and Ms. 
WILSON of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To protect covered entities that take measures to comply 
with the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention to prevent or mitigate the spread of 
the virus that causes COVID–19, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Let Our Cities And 
Local businesses Help Employees Achieve Long-Term 
Health Act’’ or the ‘‘LOCAL HEALTH Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) According to the Department of Health and 
Human Services, a nationwide public health emer-
gency caused by the COVID–19 pandemic began on 
January 27, 2020. 
(2) To curb the spread of the disease, State 
and local governments enacted necessary restrictions 
on businesses. 
(3) On June 8, 2020, the National Bureau of 
Economic Research announced that the United 
States entered into a recession in March 2020. 
(4) According to the Bureau of Labor Statis-
tics, in April 2020, the nationwide unemployment 
rate of 14.7 percent was the highest recorded 
monthly rate since the Great Depression. 
(5) By August 2021, the unemployment rate 
was down to 5.2 percent, still 1.7 percent higher 
than in February 2020, before the pandemic began. 
(6) The duration of unemployment has in-
creased over the course of the pandemic. 
(7) The percentage of unemployed individuals 
who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or more 
was 37.4 percent in August 2021, compared to 19.3 
percent in February 2020. 
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(8) As of August 2021, 5.6 million people re-
ported being unable to work because an employer 
closed or lost significant employees during the pan-
demic. 
(9) The decline in gross domestic product in the 
second quarter of 2020 of 31.4 percent was the 
highest rate of decline since before World War II. 
(10) In the initial months of the pandemic, 74 
percent of small employers reported revenue loss. 
(11) Although the economy has improved since 
April 2020, many indicators show the economy has 
not fully recovered, and in some cases, economic re-
covery is slowing. 
(12) Experts at the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, World Health Organization, and 
other public health experts in the United States and 
around the world have identified proven measures to 
curb the spread of the virus that causes COVID–19, 
including the use of properly fitted masks and other 
face coverings, social distancing, and mass vaccina-
tion. 
(13) As of September 17, 2021, the Commis-
sioner of Food and Drugs has approved one vaccine 
and issued emergency use authorizations for two ad-
ditional vaccines, all of which have proven to signifi-
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cantly reduce the rate of infection of COVID–19 and 
the risk of serious disease, hospitalization, and 
death. 
(14) The widespread use of these measures has 
allowed many employers, schools, and other entities 
to safely resume prepandemic operations. 
(15) Studies show that full vaccination against 
SARS–CoV–2 is between 85 to 95 percent effective 
in preventing infection and between 96 and 100 per-
cent effective in preventing severe, critical, or fatal 
disease. 
(16) School closures due to COVID–19 have 
impacted labor force participation. 
(17) Between February and September 2020, 
approximately 900,000 mothers and 300,000 fathers 
left the workforce. 
(18) One in ten working mothers quit a job due 
to COVID–19 and more than half reported school 
closures as a reason for leaving the workforce. 
(19) Three out of ten working mothers missed 
work due to school or daycare closures. 
(20) The Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention has found that mask mandates have helped 
schools stay open and avoid outbreaks of COVID– 
19. 
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SEC. 3. PROTECTIONS FOR COMPLYING WITH GUIDELINES 
OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL 
AND PREVENTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), each 
covered entity may take measures to prevent or mitigate 
the spread of the virus that causes COVID–19 in accord-
ance with the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention in effect as of the date of such measures. 
(b) EXCEPTIONS.—This section does not authorize a 
covered entity to take measures that are inconsistent 
with— 
(1) accommodations required under the Ameri-
cans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 
et seq.); or 
(2) exemptions for sincerely held religious be-
liefs that are required under applicable law. 
(c) MEASURES INCLUDED AND OTHER MEASURES IN 
ACCORDANCE
WITH
CDC GUIDELINES.—A measure 
under subsection (a) may include a requirement with re-
spect to— 
(1) the use of a properly fitted mask or other 
face covering; 
(2) a covered entity verifying the vaccination 
status of an employee or an individual; 
(3) an employee or individual undergoing a di-
agnostic test; and 
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(4) a covered entity ensuring that employees 
and individuals maintain a sufficient distance when 
possible. 
(d) STATE PREEMPTION.—No State may establish, 
enforce, or continue in effect a State law or regulation 
that prohibits or restricts any measure to the extent such 
measure is authorized by this section. 
(e) IMMUNITY.—A covered entity, including an em-
ployee or officer thereof carrying out the directive of a cov-
ered entity pursuant to a measure under this Act, shall 
be immune from suit and liability under Federal and State 
law with respect to all claims, including State enforcement 
actions, caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting 
from a measure taken pursuant to this Act, unless such 
measure involves negligent behavior or willful misconduct. 
(f) COVERED ENTITY DEFINED.—In this Act, the 
term ‘‘covered entity’’ means— 
(1) a private business; or 
(2) a local, county, or municipal government or 
agency. 
Æ 
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