The 2005 legislative session begins this week, and Missouri’s business community is optimistic a lot of its wishes will be granted. There are quite a few items on the business community’s wish list. Topping that list is litigation reform. And, State Chamber of Commerce President Dan Mehan says the key ingredient of any litigation reform package must be ending so-called venue shopping by trial attorneys – getting cases heard in plaintiff-friendly environments. The business community also wants to see changes made to the workers’ compensation system and improvements made with the unemployment compensation system. Then there are the “joint and several” liability rules, which allow the plaintiff in a suit to target the defendant with the most resources – the “deep pockets” theory. Mehan says that has to go. What makes business optimistic? A willing Legislature and a new Governor who has pledged to run a business-friendly, jobs-friendly administration.