Qualified immunity for elected state officers.

HB 1678 proposes to grant elected state officers (such as legislators, governors, or county officials) qualified immunity from civil lawsuits related to their official duties. This means state officials would be shielded from being sued for actions taken in their official roles, unless they violated "clearly established" rights. The bill directly affects state officials who could face legal claims while performing their elected responsibilities. It is a procedural measure that would change the legal standard for holding these officials accountable in court, rather than altering substantive policy. The bill was introduced on January 21, 2025, and referred to the Judiciary Committee.