Session Report—Day 2

Day 2 was uneventful, with brief meetings in both chambers to confirm they’re ready to work, while TLR focuses on tackling lawsuit abuse. Read more

Session Report—Day 3

On Day 3, Speaker Dustin Burrows announced his senior staff, and Sen. Mayes Middleton filed SB 779 to limit public nuisance lawsuits in Texas. Read more

States Strengthen Tort Reform Efforts

What happened: Texas is not alone. Other states are experiencing lawsuit abuse, too. Indiana has enacted new tort reform measures, while Pennsylvania and Georgia are pursuing reforms to improve their legal environments. Read more

Tell me more:

• Indiana now allows juries to consider the plaintiff’s seat belt usage in determining damages in an injury case and is splitting trucking cases into two phases: determining driver fault and damages first, then broader evidence on company misconduct in the second, if needed.
• In Georgia, Gov. Kemp is calling for comprehensive tort reform, warning that excessive lawsuits are driving up costs and threatening businesses.
• Reforms proposed in Pennsylvania include regulating third-party litigation funding and capping attorney contingency fees.

Worth noting: Texas set a precedent with its seat-belt-use disclosure law in 2003 and bifurcated trial requirements for trucking cases in 2021, solidifying its leadership in tort reform.

TLR Thoughts: Abusive litigation practices and the resulting economic consequences are not limited to Texas. That’s why TLR remains committed to passing legislation in Texas that eliminates abuses, makes our courts more fair and efficient and helps Texas maintain its economic leadership.

A Tale of Two State Insurance Markets

What happened: The Los Angeles wildfires have prompted discussions in Congress about expanding the National Flood Insurance Program to cover other disasters, shifting the financial burden to taxpayers. Read more

California’s crisis: California’s insurance market is struggling due to years of suppressed rates, poor wildfire management and rising insurer liabilities.

Florida’s success: Florida tackled its insurance crisis with tort reforms that reduced litigation abuse, stabilized the market and attracted new insurers.

Worth noting: The 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act grants states authority over insurance regulation, a system that has worked for over 80 years. 

• Federalizing insurance would undermine this model and place the burden of mismanagement on taxpayers.

TLR Thoughts: California’s insurance failures show the consequences of mismanagement, while Florida’s reforms highlight the benefits of state-level solutions. Federalizing insurance would reward poor governance and shift financial risks to taxpayers. TLR supports maintaining state authority over insurance regulation and encourages policies that promote stability and fairness in insurance markets.