    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [June 19, 1997]
    [Page 770]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997
    June 19, 1997

        I have signed into law S. 543, the ``Volunteer Protection Act of
    1997,'' which will provide volunteers working for nonprofit and
    governmental entities certain protections from civil liability. Through
    citizen service, Americans recognize that we are responsible for one
    another and that we are members of a true community. All levels of
    government should encourage citizens to volunteer for service. This bill
    is a small part of what the Federal Government is doing to help our
    citizens serve as volunteers.
        This legislation is a limited and targeted bill that deals with the
    specific concerns of individuals serving our communities without
    compensation. It preserves for the States, the traditional source of
    tort law, not only the ability to opt out of the bill's provisions in
    most cases, but also the right to require proper licensing and evidence
    of financial responsibility. It is important to note that none of the
    bill's limitations on liability will apply to misconduct that
    constitutes a crime of violence, an act of international terrorism, or a
    hate crime, or to misconduct that involves intoxication, drug use, a
    sexual offense, or the violation of any State or Federal civil rights
    laws. The bill does not apply to actions on behalf of any organization
    that engages in hate crimes. Also, S. 543 does not interfere with State
    law regarding the liability of volunteer organizations.
        I remain concerned, however, that S. 543 contains both an absolute
    prohibition on joint and several liability of volunteers for noneconomic
    damages and elements of one-way preemption of State law. These are both
    modifications of tort law that make it harder for innocent injured
    parties to recover. I emphasize that my signing this specialized and
    limited bill, which is designed to promote individual citizen service,
    in no way mitigates the concern about these issues that I raised in my
    veto message on the product liability bill presented to me last year
    (H.R. 956, 104th Congress).
        On balance, however, S. 543 will encourage volunteer citizen service
    without unduly affecting the rights of citizens who benefit from such
    service. I am pleased to have signed the bill.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    June 19, 1997.

    Note: S. 543, approved June 18, was assigned Public Law No. 105-19.