The Wisconsin Civil Justice Council recently awarded several legislators for their work during the 2023-24 legislative session. WCJC presented Reps. John Spiros and Rick Gundrum and Sen. Cory Tomczyk with the Outstanding Leadership Award for their work on Senate Bill 613, legislation to limit excessive damage awards against trucking companies and commercial drivers.
Year: 2024
Legislative Update: 2023-24 Session Concludes With Few Changes to Civil Justice Policy
The Wisconsin Legislature stands adjourned and is not expected to reconvene until January 2025. Throughout the 2023-24 session, the Wisconsin Civil Justice Council worked tirelessly to advance civil liability reforms and prevent new civil causes of action from becoming law. This session, legislators introduced many bills proposing to create new private rights of action. WCJC successfully defeated all of them, or else successfully had the legislation amended to remove the new cause of action before passage.
Legislature Passes Bill to Protect Motor Carriers, Consumers from Unreasonable Nuclear Verdicts
Legislators in Wisconsin introduced a bill that would cap the recovery of noneconomic damages from trucking companies and commercial drivers. The aim of the bill is to protect employers from unreasonable “nuclear verdicts” and stabilize insurance costs for the trucking industry. The bill cleared both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature on February 20.
Legislature Passes Deicer Registration and Liability Protection Bill
Senate Bill 52 creates a voluntary training and registration program for commercial applicators of products for snow and ice removal. The program is intended to encourage applicators to use ice and snow removal procedures that also protect water quality, in part by reducing salt use. The Wisconsin Civil Justice Council worked with legislators and stakeholders to draft strong, sensible liability protection language to incentivize applicators and business owners to take advantage of this program.