Senate Ready to Consider Class Action Tort Reform This Week
The Senate leadership has renewed efforts early in the session to pass class action tort reform. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) introduced S. 5, the “Class Action Fairness Act of 2005,” on Jan. 25.
The bill would make it easier to shift class action lawsuits from state courts into federal courts in cases seeking more than $5 million in damages and where many of the parties involved are in different states. In interstate class action cases, the plaintiff or defendant could have the case removed to federal court.
On Feb. 3, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved S. 5, without amendments, by a vote of 13 to 5. Senators Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Herbert Kohl (D-Wis.), and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) joined all 10 Republicans on the panel in approving the bill.
Prior to the panel vote, NAHB sent a letter to the full committee supporting the bill and opposing any amendments.