Declarations

“With this agreement in place, we have even greater consensus as we progress toward confirmation.”

— The Scouts said in a statement regarding a settlement with members of a committee representing 10 Catholic dioceses and archdioceses, and the Catholic Mutual Relief Society of America, under which virtually every Roman Catholic entity nationwide involved with Scouting would be considered a “participating chartered organization” in the BSA bankruptcy. It would release them from liability for Scouting-related child sex abuse claims from 1976 to the present, and for all pre-1976 claims subject to coverage by insurance companies that reached their own bankruptcy settlements. They also would be granted 12 months to negotiate financial contributions to a settlement fund for abuse victims in exchange for a full release from liability for all Scouting-related abuse claims.

“We visited with industry insurance carriers, and they confirmed they’ve seen lawsuits on such natural situations as bee stings and mosquito bites.”

— Mary Arlington, executive director of the South Dakota Campground Owners Association, testified in favor of a bill, headed for the governor’s desk, that provides immunity for campground owners whose guests encounter the inherent risks of outdoor camping. Both chambers of the South Dakota Legislature approved the bill that cuts the risk of lawsuits for campground owners who say they’ve been sued for acts of nature beyond their control. The owners say the coronavirus pandemic and the South Dakota’s open invitation to visit have resulted in an influx of novice campers who don’t understand the unpredictability of nature.

“Hurricane Dorian really got my freaking attention.”

— Professor Richard Olson, director of the Extreme Events Institute and hurricane research at Florida International University in Miami, said about Hurricane Dorian. The attention-grabbing storm, with extreme winds, hit the Bahamas in 2019, just miles from crowded South Florida. It became part of the impetus behind a plan to build a stadium-size facility that could test buildings and materials against 200-mph winds, storm surges and waves. FIU will lead the research for the facility, thanks to a $13 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

“I don’t like how we got here, but we’re here.”

— Louisiana State Police Col. Lamar Davis told a legislative oversight committee the department is undergoing an outside review to help restore public trust following a string of high-profile beatings of Black motorists. The $1.5 million review comes amid federal grand jury investigations into the beatings, including the deadly 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene. The outside review will proceed whether or not the U.S. Justice Department conducts a “pattern and practice” investigation of potential racial profiling by the overwhelmingly white male force, Davis said.

“It is absolutely bonkers that Commissioner Ricardo Lara attempted to auto-delete all Department of Insurance emails while simultaneously fighting in court to subvert the California Public Records Act.”

— California state lawmaker Marc Levine explained the need for his bill, which an Assembly committee unanimously approved in late March, designed to improve transparency from the commissioner and the California Department of Insurance.

“We need to make sure that in our passion for protecting our youth, that we get experts to look at the issues and to come up with sound, appropriate ways of protecting athletes.”

— Sen. Saud Anwar, a South Windsor physician and Democrat, said at a Connecticut legislative committee hearing, which approved a bill calling for a study of youth sports safety including the use of hockey neck guards, in response to the death of a 10th grade hockey player. Benjamin Edward “Teddy” Balkind, 16, died after his neck was accidentally cut by a skate during a Jan. 6 hockey game. The bill would create a task force that would study safety protocols and injury prevention measures.