Tort Reform and Medical Malpractice
Issue Overview: The electorate defeated the constitutional amendment to limit non-economic damages and the Legislature has done little to address tort reform or to ease the pressure on medical malpractice insurance premiums.
NFIB Position: Frivolous lawsuits, excessive punitive damages and rapidly increasing insurance rates are not limited to medical malpractice cases and affect all business owners and their liability insurance. NFIB/Wyoming members strongly support tort reform for all businesses. Other states have seen substantial benefits from broad based tort reform, including reductions in motor vehicle insurance premiums.
What to Say/Do: NFIB/Wyoming members need to contact their legislators throughout the 2005 interim and tell them to make tort reform apply to all businesses. You can write them or call them at home during the 2007 interim and you can testify at interim committee meetings that deal with the issue.
Issue Status: House Bill 196, Appeal bonds, has passed the House of Representatives and is awaiting action in the Senate Minerals Committee. Members need to contact their senators as soon as possible and ask them to support HB 196. The bill protects small businesses when they are sued and lose in the trial court. The bill limits the amount of bond the business has to post in order to file an appeal. Without the bill, many businesses could not afford to post the bond and would be unable to file an appeal and may be forced into bankruptcy.
