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Several Alabama and Georgia laws that could indirectly affect property, liability and workers’ compensation insurance take effect today, July 1.

Alabama

requires the state Elevator Safety Review Board to review, within 12 months of their publication, new standards and safety codes adopted by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers and other groups. After review, the safety board may decide to adopt all or parts of the standards.

The law also requires that new elevators and modifications continue to meet the adopted safety codes, but “portions of an elevator that are unaltered or unaffected by the alteration are only required to comply with the code requirements that existed at the time of installation.”

makes it clear that gig workers are to be considered independent contractors and not employees of marketplace-app platforms, such as Uber, Lyft, Handy and others.

expands the authority of the State Board of Health to conduct inspections for lead-based paint and provides escalating penalties for people who do not follow correct safety procedures for the removal or abatement of lead paint, and for persons who are not qualified to perform the work.

Georgia

prohibits parents from recovering against the value of a child’s life if the parent is responsible for the homicide of the child. The bill closed a loophole that allowed parents to recover the full value of the life of a murdered minor.

, like Alabama’s law and those in many other states, redefines employees, making many gig workers ineligible for employment benefits and unemployment benefits.

Topics Georgia Alabama