Ben Watson

State senator

The Georgia General Assembly reconvened this past Monday and has completed its first nine days of the legislative session. Before I delve into this legislative update, I must pay tribute to two of our own who were killed in the recent Potomac air crash of an American Airlines flight and a U.S. Army helicopter this past week. American Airlines First Officer Samuel Lilley, who hailed from Richmond Hill and was a graduate of Georgia Southern University, and U.S. Army crew chief Staff Sergeant Ryan O’Hara, who spent time at Fort Stewart, both perished in the crash. Our heartfelt prayers go out to them and their families.

The biggest issue facing the legislature this year is Governor Brian Kemp’s push for tort reform. He has called rising insurance costs the “biggest threats to the state’s future.” Kemp’s State of the State address acknowledged that the state’s current “tort tax” hurts not only victims of the legal system but also small business owners, encouraging bipartisan support on this issue. It is estimated that tort legal payouts are costing Georgia families an average of $5,592 a year and causing the loss of 137,658 jobs statewide.

Gov. Kemp unveiled comprehensive tort reform legislation aimed at reining in outlier, oversized jury verdicts. The governor made the case that high court settlements in lawsuits are making it hard for Georgia citizens and businesses to afford insurance premiums.

The tort reform legislation the Governor is proposing is based on a report released by the state insurance department last fall that showed the five-year average of claims has increased by 25%, much faster than Georgia’s population growth. The number of large claim awards of more than $1 million has also steadily grown.

Some of the items that the governor would like to enact were included in his legislation: 

• shield property owners from liability claims stemming from criminal acts committed by third parties outside of the owner’s control

• allow lawyers for defendants in lawsuits stemming from car accidents to introduce evidence showing the injured party was not wearing a seatbelt

• require plaintiffs in liability cases to show the jury their actual medical costs when the jury is deliberating on compensation

• limit third parties, including foreign adversaries like China and Russia, from financing tort litigation While I fully support the Governor, this effort is a difficult task. This legislation will require much study and negotiation with all parties to conclude legislation that will pass senate.

I will keep you updated on legislation affecting our community as we progress through the session. Thank you for your continued interest in the work of our General Assembly. As your public servant, feel free to visit me at the Capitol or to reach out by phone or email. I am in 325A Coverdell Legislative Office Building. My office phone number is (404) 6567880, and my email is ben.watson@ senate.ga.gov. I look forward to continuing to serve you.