What happened: Governors and lawmakers in Georgia, South Carolina and Texas are focusing on the ways in which their states’ legal climates are significant drivers of the cost of living and doing business.

Tell me more: In Texas, lawmakers are considering legislation that aim to crack down on the ability to bring meritless lawsuits and win “nuclear verdicts:” SB 30 by Sen. Charles Schwertner and its companion, HB 4806 by Rep. Greg Bonnen, and SB 39 by Sen. Brian Birdwell and its companion, HB 4688 by Jeff Leach. 

• On March 31, the Senate State Affairs Committee heard SB 30. Job creators from every corner of Texas converged at the Capitol to testify in support of the bill, explaining how skyrocketing insurance costs are crippling their businesses. Ultimately, higher costs are passed through to consumers of goods and services. 
• Today, SB 39 and HB 4688 are being heard in the Senate Transportation Committee and in the House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence, respectively.

TLR Thoughts: Runaway lawsuits are placing Texas businesses of all sizes, across all sectors, in an extremely tenuous position. Texas job creators are being forced to raise prices, lay off employees or close their doors – ultimately harming the Texans these businesses serve every day. TLR is proud to work alongside the Lone Star Economic Alliance – a coalition of over 1,150 Texas businesses, individuals and business associations – to address the dire issue through the reforms included in these four bills.

Read the full article here.

What happened: Protecting American Consumers Together (PACT) has launched a major TV and radio ad campaign in Texas to support lawsuit abuse reform and to highlight the impact of abusive litigation on consumer costs and the state’s economy. 

Remind me: PACT is a national advocacy group that launched ads in Texas in late March to raise awareness of the consumers impacted by inflated costs, hidden fees and questionable tactics used by certain personal injury lawyers.

Tell me more: PACT’s new seven-figure, statewide ad campaign – “Strong” – highlights the need to “pass reform to end lawsuit abuse that hurts consumers, drives up everyday costs for all Texans, and fundamentally threatens the state’s strong economy.”

• The ads follow the March 31 Senate State Affairs Committee hearing on SB 30, which exposed “the systemic approach some personal injury lawyers take to abuse their clients and drive up costs for all Texans.”

TLR Thoughts: Texas boasts the world’s eighth largest economy but is overdue for reforms that will rein in trial lawyer abuses and help restore fairness and transparency to Texas’s courts. Notably, SB 30 will help curb abusive lawsuits by: (1) encouraging doctors to treat accident victims; (2) stopping the manipulation and inflation of medical damages; and (3) educating jurors on noneconomic damages by providing clear standards and definitions.

Read the full article here.

What happened: On March 31, the Senate State Affairs Committee held a hearing on SB 30, Sen. Charles Schwertner’s lawsuit abuse reform bill. The all-day hearing, which lasted past midnight, included testimony from witness after witness who shared their personal stories and firsthand experiences of lawsuit abuse in Texas, underscoring the dire need for reform in the state.

By the numbers: According to an August 2023 LexisNexis survey of personal injury victims, 71% of respondents reported their attorney encouraged them to seek additional treatment, and 25% said their attorney was primarily responsible for setting their medical treatment. Almost half of respondents said their attorneys were involved in selecting doctors’ offices and determining specialists they saw.

In his words: “If [lawsuit abuse] does not stop, the Texas Miracle will stop.” – Lee Parsley, President and General Counsel, Texans for Lawsuit Reform 

TLR Thoughts: Members of the Lone Star Economic Alliance showed up in force at the March 31 Senate State Affairs Committee hearing to support SB 30, which would restore transparency and fairness to Texas’s courts. Notably, SB 30 includes reforms that will (1) encourage doctors to treat accident victims; (2) stop the manipulation and inflation of medical damages; and (3) educate jurors on noneconomic damages by providing clear standards and definitions.

Read the full article here.

What happened: Texas has a chance to complete the triple crown of its pro-business legal environment. That’s why the Texas Legislature is advancing SB 29 by Sen. Bryan Hughes – legislation that will “ensure Texas businesses are protected from frivolous attacks by profit-seeking activists” and that will “guarantee company leaders can make decisions based on the best interests of the company’s stakeholders rather than outsiders.”

Tell me more: SB 29 codifies a long-standing concept in corporate common law called the “business judgment rule,” ensuring corporate directors cannot be sued for decisions made in good faith, even if the outcome is unfavorable. It also establishes stricter requirements for shareholder lawsuits, preventing opportunistic legal attacks that could disrupt businesses.

• The bill has passed out of the Senate State Affairs Committee and is headed to the Senate floor.

Why it matters: A stable and predictable legal framework attracts businesses, fuels economic and job growth and enhances Texas as a state of opportunity.

• By codifying corporate protections against needless and disruptive litigation, SB 29 would ensure that companies can focus on innovation and expansion rather than legal battles – helping establish Texas the leading state for incorporations.

TLR Thoughts: TLR has long advocated for policies that protect businesses from abusive litigation while ensuring fairness in the legal system. TLR-backed SB 29 – and its House companion HB 15 by Rep. Morgan Meyer – are a crucial step in strengthening Texas’ pro-business legal environment, giving companies the certainty they need to grow and create jobs.

Read the full article here.

What happened: On March 21, in a critical move, Georgia lawmakers signed off on Senate Bill (SB) 68 in Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s (R) comprehensive tort reform package. The bill now heads to Gov. Kemp’s desk to be signed into law.

Tell me more: SB 68 aims to curb lawsuit abuse while protecting families, small businesses and Georgia’s economic competitiveness. 

• On February 21, the Georgia State Senate passed SB 68 with a bipartisan vote. The amended bill, which passed the Georgia State House of Representatives on a 91-82 vote on March 20, maintains its core provision addressing “phantom damages” – awards based on inflated medical bill amounts that were never paid. 

TLR Thoughts: Much like Georgia, TLR is advocating this session for meaningful reforms that will put a stop to the abusive lawsuits threatening Texas businesses and endangering the Texas economy. The Lone Star Economic Alliance, of which TLR is a founding member, is urging Texas lawmakers to pass SB 30/HB 4806 – vital legislation that will restore transparency and fairness to Texas’s courts. Notably, SB 30/HB 4806 includes reforms that will (1) encourage doctors to treat accident victims; (2) stop the manipulation and inflation of medical damages; and (3) educate jurors on noneconomic damages by providing clear standards and definitions. SB 30 will be heard by the Senate State Affairs Committee next Monday, March 31, 2025.

Read the full press release here.

What happened: The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) has released a new report exposing the growing misuse of public nuisance litigation, which is now being weaponized and targeted to entire industries over complex societal issues.

Tell me more: The report details how plaintiffs’ lawyers use public nuisance claims to bypass traditional liability principles and hold businesses accountable for “far-reaching societal problems, regardless of fault or causation.”

• Critically, the report warns that abusive public nuisance lawsuits that target lawful activities like producing oil and gas and plastic packaging could lead to unprincipled liability, higher consumer costs, and harm to American businesses’ competitiveness.

TLR Thoughts: Attorneys representing government entities have resurrected the ancient “public nuisance doctrine” as a mechanism to regulate society through litigation. Courts shouldn’t be engaged in shaping public policy—only in evaluating the specifics of each case and applying the law accordingly. TLR is advocating this session for narrow legislation (SB 779) that will protect the Legislature’s authority to set public policy, while preserving nuisance lawsuits for use when appropriate.

Read the full article here.

What happened: A new study prepared for Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) by Waco-based economic research firm The Perryman Group found that Texans pay an average of $1,725 more for goods and services every year as the cost of lawsuits and massive court awards are passed on to consumers. 

Tell me more: This $1,725 lawsuit tax—which drives up the cost of everything Texans buy, from groceries to housing to insurance—is higher than the national annual average lawsuit tax of $1,666 per person.

• Between 2009 and 2023, Texas led the nation in the number of “nuclear verdicts” (i.e., jury verdicts of $10 million or more). According to the CALA study, a total of 207 nuclear verdicts were awarded in Texas during that time, totaling more than $45 billion—costs that are often ultimately borne by consumers throughout the state.

By the numbers: The lawsuit tax is even higher in specific regions of the state:

• $2,746 per Texan in Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown;
• $2,483 per Texan in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington; and
• $2,373 per Texan in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land.

In his own words: “We must preserve access to courts for legitimate lawsuits, but today’s get-rich-quick lawsuit environment threatens access and drives up costs for everyone.” – Bobby Jenkins, chairman of Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse of Central Texas

TLR Thoughts: The study comes as the Texas Legislature is considering legislation (SB 30/HB 4806) that would address unreasonable court awards known as “nuclear verdicts,” which are driving up costs for businesses and consumers and impeding economic growth in the state. Notably, the legislation has been named a priority bill by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. SB 30 will be heard by the Senate State Affairs Committee next Monday, March 31, 2025.

Read the full article here.

What happened: Nasdaq has announced it will open its first regional headquarters in Dallas—the latest push by a New York institution into Texas. 

Remind me: Nasdaq was founded in 1971 and established stature during the tech boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Though Silicon Valley is a thriving pipeline for its listing business, the exchange never opened a headquarters in California. Nasdaq has more than 200 listed companies based in Texas, where it has had a physical presence since 2013. The regional office will expand the company’s footprint in the Lone Star State.

Tell me more: Making a big investment in Texas is becoming a trend among financial institutions. In February, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) revealed its plans to add operations in Dallas by reincorporating its NYSE Chicago as NYSE Texas—a fully electronic equities exchange. Additionally, the Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE) has filed paperwork in the hopes of gaining regulatory approval to start trading and listing companies in 2026.

TLR Thoughts: Texas continues to pose a threat to New York’s financial dominance, attracting top companies and technology giants to the state. The Texas Business Court—a strong alternative to the Delaware Court of Chancery System—is the main draw. This session, TLR is advocating for legislation that will both enhance Texas’s existing corporate governance laws and expand the Texas Business Court’s jurisdiction to include more kinds of commercial disputes, so that Texas remains the premier state for corporate operations.

Read the full article here.

What happened: Businesses are moving out of Delaware as its courts impose unpredictable legal rulings that undermine corporate confidence, with Texas positioning itself as a stable alternative. In Gov. Greg Abbott’s words: “The Lone Star State is open for business.” 

Tell me more: Delaware’s Chancery Court has shifted away from its long-standing business-friendly approach, increasingly interfering with shareholder-approved decisions and corporate governance. 

• Texas, by contrast, is luring companies to the state with the newly established Texas Business Court—the state’s first new court system in more than half a century.
• In 2023, TLR worked hard to ensure the enactment of legislation creating a specialized business court in Texas that would handle complex business-to-business litigation—a major economic development tool for the state—as well as the Fifteenth Court of Appeals, which handles appeals for the business court and important cases involving the State of Texas.
• In February 2025, Gov. Abbott celebrated the New York Stock Exchange’s (NYSE) announcement that it is establishing NYSE Texas in Dallas. Nasdaq, another major stock exchange, also has a presence in Texas, and the TXSE Group is working to set up the Texas Stock Exchange in the state as well.

In his own words: “Delaware may go to hell, but businesses should come to Texas. Here, the American dream lives on.” —Gov. Greg Abbott

TLR Thoughts: This session, TLR is working with the Texas Legislature to further enhance the Texas Business Court and to protect companies from unnecessary litigation—so that Texas can cement its status as the best place in the nation to live, work and do business. On March 4, TLR joined the Texas Stock Exchange and the Alliance for Corporate Excellence in applauding the filing of Senate Bill (SB) 29 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) and companion House Bill (HB) 15 by Rep. Morgan Meyer (R-University Park). The legislation would codify the “business judgment rule,” ensuring the Texas courts cannot second-guess decisions made by disinterested members of corporate boards. 

Read the full article here.

What happened: On March 13, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick announced the second round of his top 40 priority bills for the 89th regular legislative session. Senate Bill (SB) 30 and Senate Bill (SB) 39 were among those listed. 

Worth noting: SB 30 proposes reforms that will help curb “nuclear verdicts”—verdicts of $10 million or more driving up the cost of doing business in Texas—while SB 39 seeks to make commercial motor vehicle collision lawsuits consistent with existing law, fair for plaintiffs and defendants, and uniform across the state.

In their own words: “The Lone Star Economic Alliance (LSEA) of which TLR, TXTA and TFFA serve as founding members, is advocating for reforms that will protect Texans from higher insurance costs; guarantee fair restitution for legitimate injuries; and create a legal environment that encourages medical providers to treat accident victims without fear of litigation abuse.” 

—Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR), the Texas Trucking Association (TXTA) and the Texas Food and Fuel Association (TFFA) 

TLR Thoughts: LSEA members showed in force at the Texas State Capitol on March 11 to urge Texas legislators to support the meaningful reforms included in SB 30 and SB 39. LSEA is comprised of nearly 150 business associations and 1,000 Texas job creators and individuals who share a common mission: to curtail the skyrocketing cost of doing business by exposing unfair litigation practices and their impact on the jobs and businesses that fuel Texas’s economy. 

Read the full press release here.

What happened: Apple is the latest technology giant to announce its move to the Lone Star State, where it will launch a new 250,000 square-foot factory in Houston to make servers for an artificial-intelligence system.

Remind me: Tech investments are transforming the Texas economy, often via companies from California in search of lower taxes and fewer regulations on land use and labor.

• Major corporations like Tesla, Meta and Hewlett Packard have already moved operations to Texas, citing lower costs and a growing talent pool.
• To further attract businesses, Texas launched on Sept. 1, 2024 a specialized business court to streamline complex business cases and to reduce backlogs in state district courts.  

In his own words: “In the end, it’s all about the cost of doing business, and the cost of doing business is just lower in Texas.” —John Diamond, an economist at Rice University 

TLR Thoughts: The creation of the Texas business court is one of the most transformative steps the state has ever taken to strengthen Texas’s economic competitiveness. This session, TLR is working with the Texas Legislature to further enhance the business court and the state’s corporate governance laws—so that Texas can further cement its status as the best place in the nation to live and to work.

Read the full article here.

What happened: A newly released nationwide survey by Protecting American Consumers Together (PACT) reveals that Americans of all political stripes and across demographics support reforming the U.S. legal system to drive down the price of goods and services. 

Tell me more: The survey highlights the strong bipartisan support that exists for legal reforms to curb lawsuit abuse, increase transparency and lower costs for consumers. 

By the numbers: 

• 83% of voters support greater transparency on hidden fees paid to billboard attorneys.
• 77% favor legal reforms to lower auto insurance rates.
• 75% want fee arrangements between attorneys and medical provider networks disclosed.
• 67% support capping attorney fees.
• 64% support reforms to eliminate the $4,200 hidden tax imposed on American families by lawsuit abuse—support that spans party lines (71% Republicans, 64% Independents, 59% Democrats).

TLR Thoughts: Meaningful reforms are needed at both the federal and state levels to help put an end to the unfair litigation practices increasing the cost of living for all Americans. In Texas, TLR is working together with the Lone Star Economic Alliance (LSEA) to urge reforms that will protect Texans from higher insurance costs; guarantee fair restitution for legitimate injuries; and create a legal environment that encourages medical providers to treat accident victims without fear of litigation abuse.

Read the full article here.