This year’s attempt to get a litigation reform bill into law moves back to the House, this week, after a House-Senate conference committee hammered out a compromise on the two chambers’ versions of the bill. The conference committee compromise was approved on a straight party-line vote. Republicans in both the House and the Senate have the numbers to pass this version and send it to Governor Bob Holden, but it might not get that far. Senate Democratic Leader Ken Jacob of Columbia, who filibustered last year’s tort reform effort, might do the same this year … or he might not, depending on how he feels when the legislation hits the floor. Jacob says Republicans came up with a bill they know the Governor won’t accept andit’s all for political gain. Representative Richard Byrd of Kirkwood, the House sponsor of the bill, rejects that. Despite the filibuster, last year’s version of tort reform did make it to Governor Holden’s desk, where it was vetoed. He’s already indicated he’ll give the thumbs down to this year’s bill if it gets through the Legislature.
