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464 Chenault Road | Frankfort, KY 40601 Phone: 502-695-4700 Fax: 502-695-5051 www.kychamber.com 464 Chenault Road | Frankfort, KY 40601 Phone: 502-695-4700 Fax: 502-695-5051 www.kychamber.com NEWSFEBRUARY 2018 KENTUCKY CHAMBER CHAIRMAN CRAFT “All In” on Tort Reform PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR Uncertainty and unlimited liability are the hallmark features of Kentucky’s “wild west” legal liability environment. While Leadership it may make for good movies, it does not make for a good business climate. That’s why we need tort reform. For most Kentucky businesses and health care providers, it isn’t a question of if they will face a lawsuit from the Institute powerful trial attorney bar, but when. for School The U.S. Chamber ranks Kentucky’s legal liability climate at 42nd, one of the worst in the nation, driving many businesses to operate elsewhere to avoid our sky- Principals high insurance costs and unlimited risks. Following a report about the Leadership Institute Make no mistake — the legal liability climate is an for School Principles to the Chamber’s Board of economic growth and development issue. Directors in early January, Kentucky Chamber Board Chairman Joe The current system creates challenges for Kentucky Kentucky should not be Craft, president of businesses and acts as a barrier to economic a playground for Alliance Resources, development, limiting the Commonwealth’s ability to made a generous offer attract and foster the next generation of employers, trial attorneys. to match any donation health care providers, and innovators. made to support — Matt Bevin, Governor principals in eastern Governor Bevin acknowledged that this is a major Kentucky. Mr. Craft issue for Kentucky during his address at our recent has been a longtime Kentucky Chamber Day event, saying, “Kentucky supporter of the should not be a playground for trial attorneys.” Leadership Institute The Kentucky Chamber wholeheartedly agrees. The Chamber is pushing for commonsense legal liability reforms and this is the second during the 2018 session to remove some of these barriers for growth. year he has matched JOE CRAFT contributions for 2018 BOARD CHAIR • Senate Bill 2 is a bill to allow a constitutional amendment to give voters, via their elected representatives, the ability Kentucky Chamber of Commerce eastern Kentucky. President and CEO, to limit jury awards. Filed by state Sen. Ralph Alvarado, it would allow the General Assembly to establish such limits. Alliance Resource Partners LP Currently, there is no limit, and awards can run into the millions of dollars. Often its not an outrageous jury award The Chamber that threatens Kentucky employers; it’s the risk that drives employers and insurance companies to pay expensive Foundation is currently accepting pledges settlements. from the business community to match Joe’s generous offer. Contact Kelly Wolf at kwolf@ • Senate Bill 20, also sponsored by Sen. Ralph Alvarado, is an omnibus bill including reforms such as requiring an kychamber.com or at (502)848-8725 to help affidavit of merit to reduce the number of frivolous claims, providing peer review protections, establishing caps on reach 100% of Joe Craft’s pledge! attorney’s contingency fees to ensure the injured party receives the majority of the money in a settlement, and adding “statement of sympathy” language that allows medical providers to show compassion in the event of a patient’s death without the fear of a lawsuit claiming they are at fault. Alvarado has pointed to Delaware’s standing as the top-ranking state for legal liability many years in a row and said his bill will mirror the policies Delaware has in place in order to improve Kentucky’s climate. LEARN MORE • House Bill 4, sponsored by Rep. Addia Wuchner, would allow medical professionals the ability to discuss and compare best practices in their fields without the fear of litigation. If you are interested in learning more about the program, please visit us online at • House Bill 198, sponsored by Rep. Jason Nemes, would create transparency, set reasonable limits on contingency principalsleadky.com. fees, and codify recent case law requirements to ensure the state remains in control of any litigation involving contingency fee counsel. It is time for Kentucky to join the more than 20 other states which have instituted these responsible good government reforms, putting public good above private profit. • House Bill 293, sponsored by Rep. Joe Fischer, is legislation seeking to bring changes to the way asbestos-related READ MORE lawsuits are handled in the state. For more information, visit the Chamber’s The bills described above are critical to ensure 2018 represents an opportunity to encourage businesses to locate news website, kychamberbottomline.com. here, rather than driving them away. KNOW YOUR Legislators With many significant pieces of legislation moving through the Kentucky General Assembly, your elected officials need to hear from YOU on key issues to help improve the state’s business climate. Watch for Action Alerts from the Kentucky Chamber throughout session and call your legislators at 1-800-372-7181 to express your support for priority bills important to the business community. And the winners are… COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY 2018 House of Representatives LEADERSHIP M r u R o N M t oo S u K O es i . B a B rc e ig M ff n em ou a e S . O P r d im W ch is e n Le ip Pr ie ve lyFlo l l D t m h ev g l e o r n n y e l p a n e a e l a n r l o an Osb r c o s i t e L l o i n n n t l c o l s g M s S i t d t n h t t s z a d e n l e a a i T h y r n o e e t d r e S a i e h y i J i d r a K V e r e r v P o r n D n h a v D P S e r b a A s a e C n A e K m r M D i K 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 63 64 65 66 67 45 62 72 75 JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON KENTON KENTON KENTON BOONE CAMPBELL FAYETTE SCOTT BOURBON FAYETTE M C r Wayn T. i Don ie a o la ca Sc ld M k Ran Santo Koe M. Fi n Pa e Bro West Benv e l y o z n H i o a c r m n sc n l w n r t e m y l r h s n t t n e i d l a A u g o i r n t i i e o i h h n a r n SPEAKER SPEAKER J e e d t t g p m r u e r R a d s m e u r r f n g k h o e S e e J b f e A u t e e e A b e r PRO TEMPORE K n s s t J r r S o l e i o c J e R o u G l R J J R R D M n Ad M 61 a Sh y k th k i 60 61 63 a e c n 63 66 64 l o s n 35 36 37 38 40 41 42 47 60 64 69 68 76 77 79 88 l R JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON TRIMBLE BOONE 69 67 68 KENTON CAMPBELL FAYETTE FAYETTE FAYETTE FAYETTE o 65 J BOONE CAMPBELL T. O . Jen ent lem an Ti Osb 69 Be Sin yl w L k G r F i ac t es pt o KENTON y nt ne i i l y n n V o id r n in t r e n m n l n A e g n v Lin n e v t r n s a n d o a e a y e e a K J a s J i e 78 D r D K D r PENDLETON 47 B H 70 GALLATIN rk a MAJORITY MINORITY a r BRACKEN 70 FLOOR LEADER FLOOR LEADER 47 t MASON CARROLL 62 M 43 44 46 48 49 53 59 47 n Sims 98 100 JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON JEFFERSON BULLITT SPENCER OLDHAM OWEN 99 GREENUP BOYD TRIMBLE 61 h Jr Me s K 61 o LEWIS Ad a i e G GRANT 70 J y k d n e W k ra GRANT k i i d n cha l e c ROBERTSON c n 98 v n S m l b 47 i h K e e e e b r es o s a n o s HENRY a a GREENUP e m R a r s r y D D r m a 78 e u 33 36 e J e henb PENDLETON R t D 48 59 o u D 98 R r 78 70 OLDHAM g 72 96 Yor 100 b e HARRISON NICHOLAS 70 FLEMING ll k BOYD r FLEMING CARTER i o 61 72 99 J R R ELLIOTT 10 26 28 29 57 62 78 BOURBON id Ha BULLITT FRANKLIN Ma v l BRECKINRIDGE 30 31 32 33 34 56 SCOTT yf a e 58 56 57 WOODFORD a i 72 MAJORITY MINORITY 35 36 37 38 40 n e BATH D 99 SHELBY FRANKLIN n y M 58 l ROWAN 99 CAUCUS CHAIR CAUCUS CHAIR b il 41 42 43 44 46 48 SHELBY o d ELLIOTT b l 56 JEFFERSON D o s Mc WOODFORD d C 39 45 56 96 R a 53 74 We .