# 117-hr-5079: Open Schools Responsibly Act

117-hr-5079, Open Schools Responsibly Act, is a 117th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Murphy, Gregory F. [R-NC-3] (R-NC); status Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5079
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 117-hr-5079
- Congress: 117
- Title: Open Schools Responsibly Act
- Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
- Introduced: 2021-08-23
- Sponsor: Rep. Murphy, Gregory F. [R-NC-3] (R-NC)
- Cosponsors: 17
- Policy area: Law
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Open Schools Responsibly Act This bill limits civil liability for elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education relating to any harm arising from exposure to, or infection by, COVID-19 suffered by a student, employee, or visitor. Specifically, a school or institution shall not be liable for such harm if the school or institution was in compliance with applicable state requirements. However, a school or institution may be liable for acts or omissions that constitute willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct, or a conscious flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of the individual harmed.

## Cosponsors (17)

- Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14] (R-TX), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Barr, Andy [R-KY-6] (R-KY), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Norman, Ralph [R-SC-5] (R-SC), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-9] (R-NC), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lamborn, Doug [R-CO-5] (R-CO), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6] (R-VA), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bishop, Dan [R-NC-9] (R-NC), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Letlow, Julia [R-LA-5] (R-LA), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7] (R-WI), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1] (R-IA), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12] (R-GA), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23] (R-CA), 2021-08-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6] (R-WI), 2021-08-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15] (R-PA), 2021-09-03T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17] (R-FL), 2021-09-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41] (R-CA), 2021-09-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lesko, Debbie [R-AZ-8] (R-AZ), 2021-12-07T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 117-hr-5142: To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal, in commemoration to the servicemembers who perished in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, during the evacuation…
- 117-hjres-65: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "COVID-19…
- 117-hr-5854: Illegal Immigrant Payoff Prohibition Act
- 117-hr-5586: Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act
- 117-hres-548: Denouncing the horrors of socialism.
- 117-hr-38: Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act

## Sources
- [117-hr-5079 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5079)

## Related
- [117-hr-5142: To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal, in commemoration to the servi…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5142)
- [117-hjres-65: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United Stat…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hjres-65)
- [117-hr-5854: Illegal Immigrant Payoff Prohibition Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5854)
- [117-hr-5586: Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5586)
- [117-hres-548: Denouncing the horrors of socialism.](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hres-548)
- [117-hr-38: Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-38)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5079 (as of 2025-11-18).