What legal concept protects permit technicians from liability for discretionary acts made in good faith?

The legal concept that protects permit technicians from liability for discretionary acts made in good faith is qualified immunity. This doctrine is designed to shield government officials, including permit technicians, from personal liability in civil suits as long as their actions do not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known.

In the context of permit technicians, qualified immunity applies when they make discretionary decisions related to the issuance of permits or enforcement of codes. If these individuals act in good faith and their actions are within the scope of their official duties, they can invoke qualified immunity to defend against lawsuits arising from those actions. This legal protection encourages officials to perform their functions without the fear of constant litigation, as long as they act within the bounds of reasonableness and good faith.

The other concepts, such as absolute immunity, typically offer broader protection that applies in specific circumstances, often related to legislative or judicial functions, rather than general administrative duties like those performed by permit technicians. Statutory immunity usually involves protections granted by specific laws in certain contexts, while conditional immunity is not widely recognized as a distinct legal doctrine in this context. Thus, qualified immunity stands out as the correct answer for the protection sought for permit technicians in this scenario.