Private screening firms may get some liability protection

"The Homeland Security Department would like to give private aviation-screening companies limited liability protection if screeners fail to prevent a terrorist attack. ...

" When Congress created TSA after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks it created the federalized screening force but allowed five airports to contract with private screeners. Under that law, other airports last November also could request permission from TSA to opt out of the federal program, but Stone told the committee only one out of more than 400 airports have chosen to do so.

"The airports and companies would like to receive protection under the so-called SAFETY Act, which limits liability for companies if their products or services fail to prevent terrorist attacks. 'I'm told by some airports and companies that they're waiting to see how that falls out before they make a determination,' Stone said during testimony before the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee. ...

"Stone told lawmakers that if an airport is approved by TSA to opt out of the federal program, then the agency provides the same level of funding that the airport receives for the federal program to pay for the private screeners."
in govexec.com