Missouri House passes change to tort lawsuits

JEFFERSON CITY - House members on Thursday passed legislation backers contend is aimed at stopping out-of-state plaintiffs from bringing lawsuits to the state in an attempt to get more favorable rulings, an effort opponents say will limit Missouri residents from banding together to fight back against deceptive or harmful business practices.

The House voted 100-54 in favor of the legislation, sending it to the Senate.

Lawmakers disagree about what the bill would do, but generally it would limit plaintiffs’ ability to combine lawsuits and require plaintiffs to individually establish the county or district where a case is held.

Backers, such as the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and American Tort Reform Association, argue that current law has allowed too many lawsuits to be brought in St. Louis with plaintiffs who don’t live in the state.

Read more: http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/09/missouri-house-passes-change-tort-lawsuits/98988224/