ATRA Report Highlights How Political Infighting Blocks Crucial Reforms
Today, the American Tort Reform Association announced that Missouri is a “Lawsuit Inferno.” ATRA’s new Legislative HeatCheck report cites the state legislature’s lack of action on bills that would rein in lawsuit abuse in the “Show Me” state.
“Despite optimism in recent years among key legislators about the ability to pass meaningful reforms, Missouri remains a raging inferno of lawsuit abuse,” ATRA president Tiger Joyce said. “The trial bar’s influence in the state house and certain leaders’ inability to stand up to their liability-expanding agenda has resulted in a legislature that repeatedly fails to enact common-sense reforms.”
A group of Republican lawmakers, dubbed by some in the Capitol as the “Chaos Caucus,” procedurally derailed several crucial tort reform bills. At the helm is gubernatorial candidate Sen. Bill Eigel, whose political action committee has received more than $200,000 in campaign contributions from trial lawyers. The group blocked measures intended to rebalance the state’s civil justice climate, including bills that would:
“It’s disappointing to see Missouri leaders once again do the bidding of the personal injury bar at the expense of their own constituents,” Joyce said. “While surrounding states take action to improve their legal climates, Missouri is left behind as a litigious outlier where frivolous lawsuits run rampant.”
Excessive tort costs impose a staggering “tort tax” as high as $1,698 per Kansas City resident, averaging $1,095 per year statewide. These costs further result in a loss of more than 62,000 jobs each year across the state. Missouri, particularly St. Louis, is perennially named a “Judicial Hellhole®,” currently ranked eighth-worst in the nation.
“Unfortunately, Missouri lawmakers punted on meaningful tort reform this year meaning residents will keep paying a crushing ‘tort tax’ that makes everything from groceries to healthcare more expensive,” Joyce said. “Missouri voters deserve to know how lawsuit abuse and the inaction by their elected officials impacts their daily lives.”
ATRA’s Legislative HeatCheck report evaluates a select group of states’ progress — or lack thereof — in enacting meaningful tort reform measures during their most recent legislative sessions.
Missouri’s legislature was named a “Lawsuit Inferno” alongside state lawmakers in Colorado, Maryland, New Hampshire and New York. The full Legislative HeatCheck report is available at heatcheck.atra.org.
Pennsylvania lawmakers introduced liability reform bills to tackle lawsuit abuse. Proposed changes aim to enhance job creation and economic stability by limiting excessive litigation costs.
It’s time to pull back the curtain on third-party litigation financing and restore balance to our courts.
Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week prompts reflection on Arizona’s civil justice system, highlighting excessive tort costs harming small businesses, job loss, and economic growth.
This week is aimed at educating both the public and our government leaders about how excessive litigation drains resources from businesses, stifles innovation, and ultimately hurts consumers and job creation.
By fostering understanding and promoting smart reforms, we can help create a more balanced civil justice system that serves all citizens.
The Pelican State deserves a judicial system that stands firmly on principles — not one swayed by the most recent political winds.
