Senate Bill 68 – a sweeping reform of the state’s tort law– passed the Senate last week and is now in the hands of State Representatives. The bill was sent straight to the House Rules Committee after passage last week, and Wednesday House Rules Chairman, Rep. Butch Parrish, R-Swainsboro, announced the creation of a Subcommittee of Rules on Lawsuit Reform.
The subcommittee is tasked with considering proposed legislation that addresses changes to Georgia’s legal environment—Senate Bill 68 and Senate Bill 69. Both bills are sponsored by Senate Pro Tem John Kennedy, R-Macon. SB 69 is expected to be debated on the Senate floor Friday.
“The House is committed to working alongside Gov. Brian Kemp to pass meaningful, substantive legal reform this session,” Burns said. “He highlighted the impact of excessive lawsuits and rising insurance costs on citizens and businesses in Georgia. That’s why Chairman Parrish and the members of this committee will work diligently to give the governor’s proposals fair consideration and pass legislation that returns balance to our courtrooms and stability to our insurance markets—all while upholding the right of our citizens with legitimate claims to be made whole.”
The subcommittee includes several powerful members of the House including Pro Tem Jan Jones, R-Milton, and Majority Leader Chuck Efstration, R-Dacula.
Others on the committee are:
- Chairman – Rep. Rob Leverett (R-Elberton)
- Rep. Butch Parish (R-Swainsboro)
- Rep. Stan Gunter (R-Blairsville)
- Rep. Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin)
- Rep. Mark Newton (R-Augusta)
- Rep. Al Williams (D-Midway)
- Rep. Sam Park (D-Lawrenceville)
- Rep. Tanya F. Miller (D-Atlanta)
- Rep. Stacey Evans (D-Atlanta)
Following last week’s passage of SB 68, Kennedy said: “SB 68 is a major step toward reining in the excessive litigation that is driving up costs for healthcare providers, job creators, and consumers. Since 2016, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has estimated that litigation costs
have risen 7.1 percent per year—far outpacing inflation. Nuclear verdicts and frivolous lawsuits cost Georgia households an average of $5,035 annually. This broken system cannot continue.”
Sen. Kennedy continued, “The consequences of excessive litigation extend far beyond the courtroom. Because of rising litigation cost, small business owners are forced to lay off employees or shut down as their liability insurance premiums skyrocket. Pregnant women in rural areas must now travel over two hours to see an OB-GYN because local hospitals have been forced to close. When healthcare providers leave the state due to an unpredictable legal climate, entire communities suffer. It’s time to restore fairness and stability to our civil justice system, and today’s passage of SB 68 is a critical step in that direction.”
