Legislation News
Legislation
Texas Legislature passes pandemic liability protections bill
AUSTIN – The Pandemic Liability Protection Act has passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature by supermajorities.
Legislation
Bipartisan measure to study psychedelic therapy for PTSD advances in the Texas House
AUSTIN-- Last week, House Bill 1802 by Rep. Alex Dominguez (D-Brownsville) was voted out of the Committee on Public Health. The bill directs the Health and Human Services Commission in partnership with the Baylor College of Medicine to conduct a study evaluating the efficacy of certain alternative therapies in treating post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Legislation
Poll: South Texas Democratic primary voters overwhelmingly support, trust small businesses over personal injury trial lawyers
AUSTIN – Texans for Lawsuit Reform today released the results of a poll conducted among 500 Democratic Primary voters in 17 South Texas counties from April 20-22, finding that voters overwhelmingly support and trust small businesses over trial lawyers.
Legislation
HB 2144 restores separation of powers between Texas Legislature and courts, say proponents of the bill
AUSTIN – After being sent back to committee on a point of order yesterday, proponents of House Bill 2144 – legislation that seeks to restore the tort of public nuisance back to its original intent – believe the bill will be back on the calendar soon.
Legislation
Stocking the Bar with more minorities and Republicans – HB 2393 heard by Texas House committee
AUSTIN – How many attorneys does it take to elect a bar president? While that may sound like the opening to a bad joke, it’s actually the focus of House Bill 2393.
Legislation
Testimony given on COVID-19 liability protection bill, many express worries over protecting negligent nursing homes
AUSTIN – Those fearing a COVID-19 liability protections bill would protect negligent nursing homes are continuing to voice those concerns.
Legislation
Bipartisan coalition announces support of HB 1802 to study new treatments for post-traumatic stress
AUSTIN—Today a bipartisan group of special operations veterans, medical experts and advocates came out in support of legislation by State Representative Alex Dominguez (D-Brownsville) to create a first-of-its-kind study on the safety and efficacy of psychedelic therapy to treat some of the most severe medical and mental health conditions facing veterans.
Legislation
Texas GOP blasts COVID liability protections bill as vote nears
AUSTIN – Guarding businesses and the medical community against frivolous lawsuits alleging COVID-19 exposure is apparently not a priority for the Texas GOP, as the party leader is voicing opposition to bills offering virus liability protections.
Legislation
Texas House committee hears tort reform measures, including bill to stop abuse of public nuisance
AUSTIN – A number of tort reform measures were heard yesterday by Texas House members, including bills on public nuisance, loser pays and paid or incurred.
Legislation
Putting an end to ‘juiced up’ medical bills in civil suits – SB 207 heard by Texas Senate committee
AUSTIN – Senate Bill 207 will help put an end to “enterprising” trial lawyers who collude with “unscrupulous” medical providers to inflate medical bills in hopes of greater jury awards, says the bill’s author.
Legislation
Pandemic liability protections won’t protect ‘bad actors,’ says Sen. Kelly Hancock
AUSTIN – The Senate Business & Commerce Committee held a hearing on the Pandemic Liability Protection Act today, during which the bill’s author, Sen. Kelly Hancock, assured all who were present that “bad actors” won’t be protected from litigation.
Legislation
Paramedic asks Texas lawmakers to protect first responders by voting for SB 6
AUSTIN – Tomorrow, the Pandemic Liability Protection Act (Senate Bill 6) will be heard by the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce.
Legislation
Rural hospitals in Texas need help and HB 1491 could slow closures, Rep. Dean testifies
AUSTIN – Even if a hospital in a rural area goes years without being sued, high insurance premiums might contribute to the hospital’s closure – that’s one of the arguments made in favor of a bill seeking to limit a plaintiff’s recovery against rural hospitals.
Legislation
Making roads unsafe for families or ending abusive litigation? Texas trial lawyers take aim at trucking bill
AUSTIN – If someone listened only to Thomas J. Henry, a trial lawyer, than he or she might believe House Bill 19 (commonly referred to as the trucking bill) would make the roads “even more unsafe for Texas families.”
Legislation
COVID-19 liability protections among top legislative priorities for Texans for Lawsuit Reform
AUSTIN – The 87th Texas Legislature is underway, and Texans for Lawsuit Reform has several top priorities for the 2021 session, one of which is COVID-19 liability protections for businesses that follow safety protocols.
Legislation
Texas Association of Manufactures designates pandemic liability protection as top priority
AUSTIN – Since the start of the pandemic, many groups have pushed for COVID-19 liability protections, seeking to protect businesses from opportunistic trial lawyers.
Legislation
Texas AG joins 22-state coalition urging congress to consider Safe to Work Act
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton joined 21 other states in a letter to Congress urging the adoption of federal pandemic liability protections contained in the Safe to Work Act.
Legislation
Texas groups join hundreds of others in urging Congress ‘to stop growing wave’ of COVID-19 lawsuits
AUSTIN – Numerous Texas groups have joined a coalition of nearly 500 businesses and organizations in petitioning Congress to pass the “SAFE TO WORK Act.”
Legislation
Texas AG asked to let state workers know they don't have to pay union dues if they don't want to
AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) — A nonprofit instrumental in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding union fees is urging Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to adopt is recommendations concerning right to work laws and forced union membership.
Legislation
Appeal denied in motion disputing ballot measure language on term limits
HOUSTON—Two Texas men lost an appeal after contesting a city ballot measure they claimed improperly defined the length of a term limit.