Section 20 - Immunities and defenses(a) Except in the case of willful misconduct or gross negligence, the State; any of its agencies; State employees as defined in 3 V.S.A. § 1101; political subdivisions; local emergency planning committees; or an individual, partnership, association, or corporation involved in emergency management activities shall not be liable for the death of or any injury to persons or loss or damage to property resulting from an emergency management service or response activity, including the development of local emergency plans and the response to those plans. Nothing in this section shall exclude the State, its agencies, political subdivisions, or employees from the protections and rights provided in 12 V.S.A. chapter 189.(b) Any individual, partnership, association, corporation, or facility that provides personnel, training, or equipment through an agreement with the local emergency planning committee, the State Emergency Response Commission, or local emergency response officials is immune from civil liability to the same extent provided in subsection (a) of this section for any act performed within the scope of the agreement.Amended by 2022 , No. 105, § 372, eff. 7/1/2022.Amended 1989, No. 252 (Adj. Sess.), § 17; 2005, No. 209 (Adj. Sess.) , § 16.