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Brady supports civil
justice reform in Illinois Illinois Republican leaders and the
state's leading business groups are working together to overhaul our
civil justice system and ultimately end the kind of lawsuit abuse
that has been detrimental to job growth.
I strongly support the civil justice reform package because it
will build on our success last year with medical liability reform,
go a long way toward healing our battered business climate and
ultimately promote job creation.
A recent Harris survey of corporate executives ranked Illinois
46th in legal fairness, a drop of 12 spots in three years. Three
Illinois counties -- Cook, Madison and St. Clair -- were ranked in
the 15 worst jurisdictions in the country for legal fairness, and
that survey did not take into account the state's medical liability
crisis.
Illinois State Chamber of Commerce President Doug Whitley said,
"Illinois' reputation for lawsuit abuse creates a hostile business
climate that puts Illinois jobs at risk."
Ed Murnane, president of the Illinois Civil Justice League, said,
"Instead of attracting employers from other states, we are
attracting attorneys and plaintiffs from other states. Out-of-state
attorneys and plaintiffs are flocking to Illinois courtrooms because
some of our counties are considered so 'lawsuit friendly.'"
The civil justice reform package includes:
- Strengthening of venue guidelines (House Bill 4979, Senate
Bill 2896) -- Restricts where a civil action may be brought by
limiting what is considered the proper venue for a case.
- Class action reform (House Bill 4980, Senate Bill 2895) --
Restricts class action suits to the court sitting in the county
where either the defendant's principal place of business is
located, a plurality of plaintiffs reside or where the cause of
action occurred.
- Joint and several liability (House Bill 4981, Senate Bill
2893) -- Eliminates joint and several liability so that each
defendant, in cases where there are more than one, is held
financially responsible for the percentage of the total award
the judge or jury deems appropriate.
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- Limitations on punitive damages (House Bill 4982, Senate
Bill 2890) -- Allows a defendant in a jury trial to request a
two-part trial in any case where there is potential for
noneconomic, punitive damages.
- Expert evidence (House Bill 4983, Senate Bill 2892) --
Establishes new criteria for a witness to be considered an
"expert" witness.
- Asbestos defense (House Bill 4984, Senate Bill 2894) --
Allows defense counsel, in cases involving asbestos, to present
evidence of other sources of asbestos to which the plaintiff was
exposed.
Heartland Alliance: Illinois lags in helping poor
A new report on poverty reveals another dubious ranking for
Illinois -- the highest poverty rate in the Midwest and the worst
rankings in the region on such important factors as affordable
housing and education funding.
The Heartland Alliance's 2006 Report on Illinois Poverty reveals
that more than 1.5 million residents live in poverty, and Illinois
had the fourth-worst job growth in the nation between 2001 and 2004.
The report said nearly 725,000 residents live in "deep poverty,"
at or below 50 percent of the federal poverty threshold. Heartland
Alliance Director Amy Rynell indicated that the decline in
high-paying manufacturing jobs is one reason the state ranks first
in the Midwest in the deep poverty category.
Does Springfield face several more weeks of tax talk?
Punxsutawney Phil, the forecasting groundhog in Pennsylvania, let
the nation know that there will be six more weeks of winter. One
government wag in Springfield wondered if the General Assembly's
version of Groundhog Day will be the Feb. 15 budget address, when
the governor tells lawmakers there will be several more weeks of tax
talk.
[Column from
Sen. Bill Brady]
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