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美国志愿服务法VOLUNTEERPROTECTIONACTOF1997PublicLaw105-19;TheVolunteerProtectionActof1997,assignedintolawbyPresidentClintononJune18,1997.OneHundredFifthCongressoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.ATTHEFIRSTSESSIONBegunandheldattheCityofWashingtononTuesday,theseventhdayofJanuary,onethousandninehundredandninety-seven.AnActToprovidecertainprotectionstovolunteers,nonprofitorganizations,andgovernmentalentitiesinlawsuitsbasedontheactivitiesofvolunteers.BeitenactedbytheSenateandHouseofRepresentativesoftheUnitedStatesofAmericainCongressassembled,SECTION1.SHORTTITLE.ThisActmaybecitedasthe`VolunteerProtectionActof1997'.SECTION2.FINDINGSANDPURPOSE.(a)FINDINGS-TheCongressfindsanddeclaresthat--(1)thewillingnessofvolunteerstooffertheirservicesisdeterredbythepotentialforliabilityactionsagainstthem;(2)asaresult,manynonprofitpublicandprivateorganizationsandgovernmentalentities,includingvoluntaryassociations,socialserviceagencies,educationalinstitutions,andothercivicprograms,havebeenadverselyaffectedbythewithdrawalofvolunteersfromboardsofdirectorsandserviceinothercapacities;(3)thecontributionoftheseprogramstotheircommunitiesistherebydiminished,resultinginfewerandhighercostprogramsthanwouldbeobtainableifvolunteerswereparticipating;(4)becauseFederalfundsareexpendedonusefulandcost-effectivesocialserviceprograms,manyofwhicharenationalinscope,dependheavilyonvolunteerparticipation,andrepresentsomeofthemostsuccessfulpublic-privatepartnerships,protectionofvolunteerismthroughclarificationandlimitationofthepersonalliabilityrisksassumedbythevolunteerinconnectionwithsuchparticipationisanappropriatesubjectforFederallegislation;(5)servicesandgoodsprovidedbyvolunteersandnonprofitorganizationswouldoftenotherwisebeprovidedbyprivateentitiesthatoperateininterstatecommerce;(6)duetohighliabilitycostsandunwarrantedlitigationcosts,volunteersandnonprofitorganizationsfacehighercostsinpurchasinginsurance,throughinterstateinsurancemarkets,tocovertheiractivities;and(7)clarifyingandlimitingtheliabilityriskassumedbyvolunteersisanappropriatesubjectforFederallegislationbecause--(A)ofthenationalscopeoftheproblemscreatedbythelegitimatefearsofvolunteersaboutfrivolous,arbitrary,orcapriciouslawsuits;(B)thecitizensoftheUnitedStatesdependon,andtheFederalGovernmentexpendsfundson,andprovidestaxexemptionsandotherconsiderationto,numeroussocialprogramsthatdependontheservicesofvolunteers;(C)itisintheinterestoftheFederalGovernmenttoencouragethecontinuedoperationofvolunteerserviceorganizationsandcontributionsofvolunteersbecausetheFederalGovernmentlacksthecapacitytocarryoutalloftheservicesprovidedbysuchorganizationsandvolunteers;and(D)(i)liabilityreformforvolunteers,willpromotethefreeflowofgoodsandservices,lessenburdensoninterstatecommerceandupholdconstitutionallyprotecteddueprocessrights;and(ii)therefore,liabilityreformisanappropriateuseofthepowerscontainedinarticle1,section8,clause3oftheUnitedStatesConstitution,andthefourteenthamendmenttotheUnitedStatesConstitution.(b)PURPOSE-ThepurposeofthisActistopromotetheinterestsofsocialserviceprogrambeneficiariesandtaxpayersandtosustaintheavailabilityofprograms,nonprofitorganizations,andgovernmentalentitiesthatdependonvolunteercontributionsbyreformingthelawstoprovidecertainprotectionsfromliabilityabusesrelatedtovolunteersservingnonprofitorganizationsandgovernmentalentities.SECTION3.PREEMPTIONANDELECTIONOFSTATENONAPPLICABILITY.(a)PREEMPTION-ThisActpreemptsthelawsofanyStatetotheextentthatsuchlawsareinconsistentwiththisAct,exceptthatthisActshallnotpreemptanyStatelawthatprovidesadditionalprotectionfromliabilityrelatingtovolunteersortoanycategoryofvolunteersintheperformanceofservicesforanonprofitorganizationorgovernmentalentity.(b)ELECTIONOFSTATEREGARDINGNONAPPLICABILITY-ThisActshallnotapplytoanycivilactioninaStatecourtagainstavolunteerinwhichallpartiesarecitizensoftheStateifsuchStateenactsastatuteinaccordancewithStaterequirementsforenactinglegislation--(1)citingtheauthorityofthissubsection;(2)declaringtheelectionofsuchStatethatthisActshallnotapply,asofadatecertain,tosuchcivilactionintheState;and(3)containingnootherprovisions.SECTION4.LIMITATIONONLIABILITYFORVOLUNTEERS.(a)LIABILITYPROTECTIONFORVOLUNTEERS-Exceptasprovidedinsubsections(b)and(d),novolunteerofanonprofitorganizationorgovernmentalentityshallbeliableforharmcausedbyanactoromissionofthevolunteeronbehalfoftheorganizationorentityif--(1)thevolunteerwasactingwithinthescopeofthevolunteer'sresponsibilitiesinthenonprofitorganizationorgovernmentalentityatthetimeoftheactoromission;(2)ifappropriateorrequired,thevolunteerwasproperlylicensed,certified,orauthorizedbytheappropriateauthoritiesfortheactivitiesorpracticeintheStateinwhichtheharmoccurred,wheretheactivitieswereorpracticewasundertakenwithinthescopeofthevolunteer'sresponsibilitiesinthenonprofitorganizationorgovernmentalentity;(3)theharmwasnotcausedbywillfulorcriminalmisconduct,grossnegligence,recklessmisconduct,oraconscious,flagrantindifferencetotherightsorsafetyoftheindividualharmedbythevolunteer;and(4)theharmwasnotcausedbythevolunteeroperatingamo