- Collection:
- Georgia Government Publications
- Serial:
- Press release.
- Title:
- Press release [Oct. 23, 2003F]
- Creator:
- Georgia. General Assembly. House. Public Information Office
- Contributor to Resource:
- Georgia. General Assembly. House. Public Information Office
- Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Georgia. General Assembly. House. Public Information Office
- Date of Original:
- 2003-10-23
- Subject:
- Georgia
- Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- publications (documents)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- application/pdf
- Description:
- Open access; Unrestricted online access star GAGAL
July 29, 2002B; title from Georgia Government Publications citation, viewed September 19, 2007. - External Identifiers:
- Call Number GA L412 .P1 P7 2003/10-23F
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-bl412-b-pp1-bp7-b2003-s10-h23f-belec-p-btext
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-bl412-b-pp1-bp7-b2003-s10-h23f-belec-p-btext
- Language:
- eng
- Holding Institution:
- University of Georgia. Map and Government Information Library
- Rights:
-
Georgia House of Representatives
Public Information Office
Room 131, State Capitol 30334
404-656-5082 1-800-282-5800
10-1872-5026 For Immediate Release
October 23, 2003
Smith Tapped for Tort Reform Advisory Committee
Input From Business, Legal, Healthcare and Insurance Industries also Sought Atlanta State Representative Lynn Smith (R-Newnan) has been named to a Special Advisory Committee on Tort Issues by House Speaker Terry Coleman (D-Eastman). The committee's objective is to work with interested groups and build on the successes in the last session of the General Assembly. Specifically, the committee is charged to look at ideas and explore options in the areas of civil justice, insurance and health care.
Key representatives from the business, legal, healthcare and insurance industries will also be asked to help identify options and ideas to be considered and to facilitate discussions in the broader business community. These discussions are intended to bring together needed and sensible solutions in the broad area of civil justice.
"I appreciate my appointment to this important committee and look forward to working with other members," said Rep. Smith. "Being a small business owner, I know the implications of rising insurance costs and what an impact it can have in the short and long term. At the same time I realize we can not infringe on citizens civil justice rights."
Also according to Rep. Smith, "Last session, the House passed HB 792 which complements federal rules for class action lawsuits and restricts the ability of plaintiffs from other states to file lawsuits in Georgia when the statute of limitation has run out in other states (forum nonconvenes). I believe this was an important first move toward a balanced approach to civil justice reform in Georgia."
The committee will be co-chaired by Reps. Tom Bordeaux (D-Savannah), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and Butch Parrish (D-Swainsboro), Chairman of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee.
Other members, besides Rep. Smith, include Speaker Pro Tempore DuBose Porter (D-Dublin), Majority Leader Jimmy Skipper (D-Americus), Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benefield (D-Decatur), Rep. Mike Boggs (D-Waycross), Rep. Jimmy Lord (D-Sandersville), Rep. Ron Dodson (DJonesboro), Rep. Lester Jackson (D-Savannah), Rep. Greg Morris (D-Vidalia), Rep. Curtis Jenkins (D-Forsyth), Rep. Randal Mangham (D-Decatur), Rep. Buddy Childers (D-Rome), Rep. Keith Heard (D-Athens), Rep. Tom Campbell, (R-Roswell) and Rep. Mark Burkhalter (RAlpharetta).
Rep. Smith, a lawmaker since 1996, is a member of the Appropriations, Natural Resources and Environment and State Planning and Community Affairs committees.
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For further information please contact Rep. Smith at 404-656-7859.