MFEP had more success in 2004 with the passage of House Bill 13.  Again, we had to overcome enormous obstacles.

• There were 30 civil justice reform bills introduced during the regular session. 

• HB 1517, a corporate successor liability bill, was introduced.  It quickly moved through the House and Senate and was approved by the Governor on April 20^th.  This was a first step since this bill allowed some tort reform measures to be applied—but only to one company.

• HB 1323, a tort reform bill, passed the full Senate by a vote of 34-13 but the Speaker of the House referred it to House Judiciary A, after the bill had already passed both the House and the Senate.  This had not been done since 1966.  The bill died in committee at the end of the month.

• A suspension resolution to House Rule #14 was signed by 80+ members to suspend the deadline for SB 2763, another tort reform bill.  The Suspension Resolution passed the Rules Committee by a vote of 6-1 and passed the House by a vote of 110-5.  Even after the suspension resolution suspended SB 2763 from the regular deadlines, the bill died on the House calendar.

• Governor Barbour called the legislature back into session and MFEP again worked to get meaningful tort reform passed. 

• HB 13 passed the Senate and House and was approved by the Governor on June 16^th.  The Wall Street Journal called our new legislation the most comprehensive tort reform legislation in America.

Post Office Box 3025 · Ridgeland, MS  39158       Phone: 601-352-6337     Fax: 601-352-7869