The bill limits the amount a defendant would have to pay to appeal a decision in civil litigation to $25 million. It also creates a rebuttable presumption that an appellant will suffer an undue hardship when the judgment amount exceeds $2.5 million, the defendant is a small business, and judgment is for a claim arising from activities within the appellant’s ordinary course of business. For these purposes, “small business” would be defined as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or other business entity, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, with between 2 and 50 employees that is not a corporate affiliate or subsidiary of, or owned in whole or in part by any other business.
