Ark. Senate Passes Tort Reform Bill

The Arkansas Senate last week amended and passed a House bill that would reform the state’s civil justice system.

“We commend the Arkansas House and Senate for addressing this difficult topic in such a timely manner,” James Taylor, southeastern regional manager of the National Association of Independent Insurers (NAII), commented. “Passage of this bill will surely help improve the state’s business climate.”

The Senate Committee on Judiciary voted last week to pass an amended version of H.B. 1038 and sent it to the Senate floor, where it passed and was sent to the House for concurrence.

The bill, introduced in January by Rep. Danny Ferguson (D, Dist. 51) provides comprehensive and uniform civil justice reform by establishing more equitable assessment of fault, increasing the standards that must be met for punitive damage awards, and caps them at three times compensatory damages or $250,000, whichever is less.