February 26, 2026
The law remains unfairly tilted in favor of trial lawyers, writes Nick Payzant
NFIB California Leadership Council member Nick Payzant, founder and owner of Irvine-based Cerna Homecare, penned a guest editorial for the Southern California Newspaper Group’s stable of 11 dailies (L.A. Daily News, Orange County Register, etc.), arguing that although some reforms of the state’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) have been helpful, much more needs to be done.
“These reforms have given business owners more opportunities to fix mistakes and demonstrate good-faith compliance before facing high-cost penalties,” says Payzant. “That progress deserves recognition, but the problem still remains, as more work needs to be done. Even after reforms were enacted in 2024, filings increased exponentially, and in 2025, PAGA filings hit a record high of 10,098.
“Important proposals, like Senate Bill 84, only have one year left to move forward. If passed, it would help curb additional frivolous lawsuits that target minor, technical violations, including those brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act.”
Payzant’s entire editorial can be read here.
In addition to PAGA, Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse California describes other types of legal assaults on small businesses, including ADA abuse, Prop. 65 lawsuits; Class Action Abuse; and third party litigation funding.
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NFIB is a member-driven organization advocating on behalf of small and independent businesses nationwide.
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