,i  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cedh  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,may #ba1 #bjbe,mr4   
,langwor?y 7= himself1 ,ms4 ,t5ney1 &   
,ms4 ,/efanik7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on !       
,judici>y  ,a ,,bill  ,to preclude      
absolute liability 9 any action aga9/ a 
prop]ty own] or contractor = projects   
receiv+ ,f$]al f9ancial assi/ance =     
infra/ructure & transportation          
developm5t1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort
 title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !        
,infra/ructure ,expansion ,act ( #bjbe4 
#b4 ,pres]vation ( ,f$]al f9ancial      
assi/ance = infra/ructure &             
transportation developm5t  7a7 ,no      
absolute liability on c]ta9 projects ,= 
any project t receives ,f$]al f9ancial  
assi/ance1 b5efits f ,f$]al tax         
inc5tives1 or is subject to ,f$]al      
p]mitt+ requirem5ts1 no action on !     
basis ( absolute liability may be       
in/itut$ by a cov]$ p]son aga9/ a       
prop]ty own] or a p>ty to a contract or 

subcontract relat+ to ! prop]ty t is !  
subject ( ! project = any injury        
associat$ ) an elevation or             
gravity-relat$ risk occurr+ on t        
project4  7b7 ,comp>ative neglig5ce     
liability /&>d = c]ta9 claims ,= any    
project describ$ 9 subsection 7a7-- 7#a7
 a ,/ate may n impose absolute liability
 9 any =m = elevation or gravity-relat$ 
risks2 &  7#b7 a comp>ative neglig5ce   
liability /&>d %all apply to any claim  
br\ght by a cov]$ p]son aga9/ a prop]ty 
own] or contractor = an injury associat$
 ) an elevation or gravity-relat$ risk 9
 :i*-- 7,a7 su* neglig5ce is a proximate
 cause ( an injury to a p]son2 &  7,b7  
,/ate law w\ld o!rwise apply absolute   
liability z ! basis = su* a claim4  7c7 
,f$]al preemption ,?is ,act %all sup]s$e
 & preempt any ,/ate law t imposes      
absolute liability /&>ds = elevation or 
gravity-relat$ risks on projects receiv+
 ,f$]al f9ancial assi/ance4 ,/ates %all 
adopt comp>ative neglig5ce /&>ds        
pursuant to ?is ,act = claims aris+ "u a

 project describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  7d7
 ,f$]al c\rt jurisdiction ,all claims   
aris+ "u ?is ,act %all be subject to    
exclusive jurisdiction ( ! ,f$]al c\rts 
( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 preclud+ ,/ate c\rts 
f apply+ absolute liability /&>ds to    
cov]$ projects4  7e7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is 
section3  7#a7 ,absolute liability ,!   
t]m absolute liability means liability =
 a p]sonal injury or dea? t is impos$   
)\t consid]ation ( ! responsibility ( ! 
injur$ p]son1 includ+ failure to foll[  
safety in/ructions or safe "w practices 
9 accordance ) tra9+ provid$1 failure to
 utilize provid$ safety equipm5t or     
devices1 impairm5t by ! use ( drugs or  
alcohol1 or involvem5t 9 a crim9al act1 
:5 su* failure1 impairm5t1 or act is a  
proximate cause ( an injury to su*      
p]son4  7#b7 ,cov]$ p]son ,! t]m cov]$  
p]son means any p]son :o sup]vises or   
p]=ms any "w on or :o is o!rwise        
affiliat$ ) a project4  7#c7 ,elevation 
or gravity-relat$ risk ,! t]m elevation 
or gravity-relat$ risk means a haz>d    

relat$ to ! effects ( gravity ei!r due  
to ! diff]5ce betwe5 ! elevation level (
 ! requir$ "w & a l[] level or a        
diff]5ce betwe5 ! elevation level :]e ! 
work] is position$ & ! high] level ( !  
mat]ials or load be+ hoi/$ or secur$4   
7#d7 ,f$]al f9ancial assi/ance ,! t]m   
,f$]al f9ancial assi/ance means any     
direct or indirect fund+1 includ+       
grants1 loans1 loan gu>antees1 tax      
cr$its1 ,build ,am]ica ,bonds1 bonds1 or
 o!r inc5tives provid$ by ! ,f$]al      
,gov]nm5t to support infra/ructure or   
transportation developm5t4  7#e7        
,project ,! t]m project means-- 7,a7 !  
con/ruction1 erection1 demolition1      
repair+1 alt]+1 pa9t+1 clean+1 or po9t+ 
( a highway1 bridge1 tunnel1 airport1   
railway1 bus or railroad /ation1 depot1 
pi]1 h>bor1 p>k1 build+1 support        
facility1 or utilities2 &  7,b7 any     
infra/ructure associat$ ) an activity   
describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a71 includ+    
private developm5ts requir$ to modify   
public assets z a condition (           

con/ruction or p]mitt+4  7#f7 ,/ate ,!  
t]m ,/ate includes an au?ority1 ag5cy1  
metropolitan plann+ organization1       
di/rict1 commission1 corporation1 or o!r
 political subdivision (1 or affiliation
 )1 a ,/ate or local gov]nm5t1 or       
bi-,/ate entity or compact4  7f7        
,work]s' comp5sation laws ,no?+ 9 ?is   
section %all be con/ru$ to preempt any  
law ( a ,/ate provid+ = work]s'         
comp5sation4  7g7 ,effective date ,?is  
section applies to claims aris+ f       
projects 9 :i* a ,/ate or local gov]nm5t
 accepts ,f$]al f9ancial assi/ance on or
 aft] ,janu>y #a1 #bjbf4