From Missouri Digital News: https://mdn.org
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

MDN.ORG Mo. Digital News Missouri Digital News MDN.ORG: Mo. Digital News MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
Help  

Governor Vetoes Liability Lawsuit Legislation

April 27, 2004
By: Missy Shelton
State Capital Bureau

Governor Bob Holden vetoed legislation that would have restricted liability lawsuits.

Missy Shelton reports.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

The governor says the bill favors companies over injured individuals seeking to recover damages in court.

Holden says that's why he vetoed the measure though he says none of the provisions in the bill are totally objectionable to him.

Supporters of the bill say it will stop rising medical malpractice insurance rates by lowering caps on jury awards in malpractice lawsuits.

Holden says the bill doesn't do enough to deal with the crisis which is driving doctors out of the state.

Actuality:GH2
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents:

Holden says he'd like to see new regulations placed on the insurance companies.

Actuality:GH1
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents:

But Republican lawmakers say there's legislation moving through the process that would place new regulations on insurance companies.

Republican Representative Richard Byrd sponsored the bill that the governor vetoed.

He says the governor should have waited to decide what to do with his bill until lawmakers also sent him the insurance regulation proposal, which Byrd says makes a lot of changes.

Actuality:Byrd11
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents:

House Speaker Catherine Hanaway says the governor gave in to pressure from trial attorneys who oppose lower caps on jury awards.

She says the governor vetoed a bill that would've lowered malpractice insurance rates for doctors...She says now those rates will continue to rise and doctors will continue to leave the state.

Actuality:Hana1
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents:

Hanaway says the crisis for doctors is a real one that lawmakers tried to address.

Actuality:Hana2
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents:

The governor says lawmakers should've dealt exclusively with medical malpractice instead of placing broader restrictions on liability lawsuits.

House Speaker Catherine Hanaway says she'll try to override the governor's veto though she acknowledges being 15 votes short.

SOC