PCI Seeks November Vote on Class Action Reform

In a letter to Senate Leaders, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Carl Parks this week urged the passage of class action reform legislation before Congress adjourns for the year.

According to the PCI, S. 2062, the Class Action Fairness Act, sponsored by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), would decrease the monetary burden the current civil justice system imposes on American consumers and businesses. The number of class action lawsuits grew by more than 1,000 percent in the past decade, marking an explosion in what is quickly becoming a lawsuit industry.

“Class action reform legislation is urgently needed to help curtail forum shopping and frivolous lawsuits by allowing defendants to move large national class action cases to federal courts,” Parks wrote. “The legislation also includes provisions to better protect consumer class members, such as judicial scrutiny and limitations on coupon settlements.

“We commend Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and the chief sponsors of the bill, Sens. Grassley and Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), on the development of bipartisan class action reform legislation. We understand that the compromise bill has the support of 62 Senators, and Republican and Democrat supporters of the legislation favor approving the compromise bill this year. A conference committee will be unnecessary if both Houses approve the compromise Senate bill. On behalf of PCI, we thank you for your leadership on this important issue, and we urge you to approve S. 2062 now.”

A recent Winston Group Survey of 1,000 registered votes reportedly found that 80% of Americans believe there is too much litigation in the United States and 74% believe lawsuits cost consumers money in the form of higher prices.

The letter, written to Senator Frist, Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Senate Republican Conference Chairman Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), can be viewed in the spotlight section of PCI’s Web site, at www.pciaa.net.