NOTE: MN03 Rep. Erik Paulsen voted for this bill.
The following article by Kimberly Kindy was posted on the Washington Post website June 28, 2017:
A medical malpractice bill that limits attorney fees and some patient damage fees in civil lawsuits was passed by the House on Wednesday by a narrow margin of 218 to 210, with numerous Republicans voting against the measure.
The biggest point of contention was over a provision that places a cap of $250,000 on noneconomic damages awards to victims, which includes for pain and suffering. Nineteen Republicans voted against the bill, many of them citing this as a key reason, saying it would trample on states’ rights because it would take away their ability to establish their own laws on the matter.
At least two dozen states do not cap noneconomic damages, and several state supreme courts — including Washington and Florida — have determined they are unconstitutional. Continue reading “House Republicans pass tort bill by slim margin”