As the 2026-27 budget process concluded and the General Assembly recessed for the summer, PCCJR secured two major legislative victories by stopping House Bill 1697, the proposed Pennsylvania False Claims Act, and House Bill 1913, legislation that would have allowed plaintiffs’ attorneys to argue virtually any damages amount to juries during closing arguments.
Both bills threatened Pennsylvania’s legal climate, employers, health care providers, and consumers. Through months of strategic advocacy, direct lobbying, grassroots engagement, and public education, PCCJR worked closely with our allies to stop both proposals.
False Claims Act Kept Out of the Budget
Governor Shapiro made a Pennsylvania False Claims Act a key budget priority, claiming it would generate significant new state revenue. PCCJR demonstrated that those claims were unsupported and that Pennsylvania already has strong fraud enforcement tools through the Office of Attorney General.
The bill also would have encouraged costly private “qui tam” (bounty hunter) lawsuits by allowing individuals and plaintiffs’ attorneys to sue on behalf of the Commonwealth while receiving a share of any recovery. PCCJR warned lawmakers that the proposal would increase litigation, raise costs for businesses and health care providers, and ultimately drive up costs for Pennsylvania consumers.
Through a coordinated campaign—including a statewide grassroots letter-writing effort, PCCJR’s Day on the Hill, legislative meetings, legal and fiscal analyses, and opinion pieces published across the Commonwealth—the False Claims Act was ultimately excluded from the final budget package.
Anchoring Prevented
PCCJR also led the opposition to House Bill 1913, which would have allowed plaintiffs’ attorneys to use “anchoring” tactics by suggesting arbitrary damages amounts or mathematical formulas during closing arguments.
PCCJR educated lawmakers that these tactics are designed to inflate jury awards, contribute to nuclear verdicts, increase liability costs, and ultimately raise insurance premiums and consumer prices. Working with legislators and coalition partners, PCCJR helped ensure HB 1913 did not reach the Governor’s desk.
The Work Continues
These important victories demonstrate the impact of informed, persistent advocacy. However, both proposals remain priorities for the plaintiffs’ bar and could return later this year or next session.
PCCJR will continue leading the fight for a balanced civil justice system that protects Pennsylvania’s employers, health care providers, consumers, and the economy from costly lawsuit expansion.