Ceremonial entrance of the Ohio Statehouse, one of the oldest working statehouses in the US.

Businesses, schools and health care providers in Ohio caught a break recently when Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill that protects them from lawsuits related to COVID-19.

Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof says House Bill 606 protects these institutions from lawsuits that allege a person was exposed to COVID-19 on their property, reports The News-Herald.

The bill gives schools and businesses comfort in knowing they can reopen right now, says Obhof in a press release cited by The News-Herald.

The bill, which protects schools and businesses through Sept. 30, 2021, was supported by the Ohio Manufacturers Association, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business.