While the stalemate in Congress brought any talk of a federal business liability shield to a screeching halt, two restaurateurs from the Nation’s Capital filed new challenges against the Charter Oak Fire Insurance Company for refusing to pay claims for business operation losses resulting from the coronavirus. The two lawsuits, filed in DC and in Maryland respectively, are the latest in a flurry of challenges brought against insurance companies for rejecting business interruption loss claims. The restaurant groups contend that their insurance should cover losses resulting from the government-mandated lockdowns and not only for physical loss or damage as the insurance industry has claimed. The inability of Congress to move forward on business liability shields had no bearing on a similar effort in Georgia. Last week, Governor Brian Kemp signed the Georgia COVID-19 Pandemic Business Safety Act into law protecting businesses and health care providers from liability for injuries or deaths related to coronavirus treatment, exposure or infection. The new law creates a rebuttable presumption that if a business owner posts a COVID-19 warning sign outside the premises, any person entering assumes the risk of COVID-19, save gross negligence or willful conduct. It became effectively immediately upon the Governor’s signature and will remain in effect through July 14, 2021.