At a signing ceremony in the state capitol Monday, Gov. Brian Kemp signed two bills into law that will change some rules around civil lawsuits in Georgia.
Senate Bill 68 limits Georgians’ ability to sue businesses for crimes that occur on their property, stops attorneys from recovering fees twice for the same case, and allows separate trials for assigning responsibility and damages. It also allows the jury to consider if the plaintiff was wearing a seatbelt or not for lawsuits involving car accident injuries.
The final version of the bill allows some carveouts for sex trafficking victims to avoid having to go through two trials.
Proponents of the bill say that it will reduce frivolous lawsuits and curb rising insurance costs for small business owners.
“The cause for change came from every sector of Georgia’s economy,” Kemp said. “The status quo was simply unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, opponents say the premises liability section could prevent some crime victims from getting justice, and say tort reform does not guarantee lower insurance premiums.
SB 68 passed both chambers narrowly, with some lawmakers voting across the aisle.
SB 69 passed both chambers easily. The bill lays out rules to finance certain lawsuits.
Kemp declared tort reform his top legislative priority early on in the session and threatened to call a special session if the bills were not passed.
“In the end, both of these bills accomplished our goal of leveling the playing field in Georgia’s courtrooms and ensuring our business environment remains the best in the nation,” he said.
Now that the bills have been signed, SB 68 goes into effect immediately, while SB 69 goes into effect in 2026.
This article comes to Now Habersham in partnership with GPB News
