Georgia’s governor wins support for his top legislation from 3 skeptical senators

ATLANTA (AP) — Three Republican holdouts in the Georgia Senate got on board with Gov. Brian Kemp’s top-priority legislation to limit lawsuits, showing the state’s Republican leader remains at the height of his political power well into his second term.

The bills cleared a big hurdle this week by passing out of a Senate committee, at the same time Kemp has been negotiating with potential detractors and marshalling a lobbying and advertising campaign.

Proponents say the legislation, which they call tort reform, would help businesses, physicians, property owners and others save money from frivolous lawsuits and lower insurance rates. Opponents say there’s no proof insurance rates would drop and worry people won’t win compensation when they’re wronged.

In order to get the bills out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Kemp had to get past three legislators most likely to pump the brakes — Sen. Blake Tillery of Vidalia, Sen. Brian Strickland of McDonough and Sen. Bo Hatchett of Cornelia — all of whom are trial lawyers.

Tillery asked the most questions during the hearing, including a suggestion to make sure whoever loses a lawsuit bear the court costs.

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“That’s a different issue for a different day,” said John Kennedy, the Republican Senate president pro tem who’s carrying the bill on Kemp’s behalf. “Not here. It’s not what the governor wanted to propose in his tort reform package.”

Tillery asked again.

“This is the governor’s bill,” Kennedy said.

One bill passed the committee 8-3 late Tuesday evening, with Tillery and Hatchett voting for it. Strickland, who chairs the committee, only votes to break ties. A second bill passed with support from all Republicans and two Democrats on the committee, with one opposing.

Kemp in 2023 promised one of his top allies, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, that he’d limit lawsuits but opted for further study after he couldn’t build consensus for action at the Capitol.

“This year has changed the previous playbook on this issue to engage people outside of the Gold Dome,” said Cody Hall, a Kemp political strategist.

Lobbyists on both sides of the issue are spending heavily and Kemp has threatened a special session if his bills don’t pass. Hundreds of proponents — including doctors, business owners and even road-paving workers with reflective vests — swarmed the state Capitol when Kemp unveiled his legislation.

Jen Jordan, a Democrat who gave up her state Senate seat to make an unsuccessful bid for attorney general in 2022, said Kemp’s leadership committee is a big source of his power. That campaign finance vehicle allows the governor to raise unlimited campaign funds even during a legislative session, while regular candidate committees face contribution limits and can’t raise money during session.

“Kemp has so much power right now because he has all the money, and he is using it,” Jordan said.

Kemp’s Georgians First leadership committee reported $3.25 million on hand as of Jan. 31, having raised $2.4 million in the preceding six months.

The first bill sets stricter standards for when people are accountable for injuries on their property, and stops attorneys from recovering fees twice for the same case. It also makes sure people are compensated for how much they actually paid for medical procedures, and separates trials for assigning responsibility and determining damages, among other changes. A second bill regulates outside parties investing in litigation and prevents foreign adversaries and governments from funding it.

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Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon.