It takes a lot to amend Pennsylvania’s Constitution. The proposed amendment must pass two subsequent sessions of the General Assembly and then be placed before the voters in a referendum. In 2021, several proposed constitutional amendments are making their way toward the ballot. Last week, the House passed legislation that would amend the state’s Constitution…
Coalition Updates
Liability Protection for Agriculture Tourism Advances
A bill that could help farmers find much needed additional income to keep their farms going cleared the House Agriculture Committee. H.B. 101 would provide liability protection for Agritourism activities such as corn mazes, petting zoos, and apple picking. Farmers are reluctant to open their properties to the public due to the fear of lawsuits.…
Governor Richard “Dick” Thornburgh Remembered
Former Pennsylvania Governor Richard “Dick” Thornburgh, referred to as a “Legal and Public Service Giant,” has passed away at the age of 88. Thornburgh was elected Governor in 1978 and served for two terms. He later served the nation as Attorney General of the United States from 1988-1991. In 1994, he returned to his previous position as…
Pennsylvania Courts Top ‘Judicial Hellholes’ List
No Statute or Precedent Safe in PA! Pennsylvania courts top the list of “Judicial Hellholes” for the second year running. The dubious distinction, compiled annually by the American Tort Reform Foundation (ATRF), points to a string of pro-plaintiff decisions issued by the state Supreme Court and the long-standing reputation for big-city courts to welcome venue shopping…
New Poll Shows Majority of Americans Support Protecting Employers from COVID-19 Lawsuits
PCCJR Urges Congress to Act Before the End of the Year! (Harrisburg, PA) The Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform (PCCJR) today said a new national survey released by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform confirms public support for safe harbor legislation to protect businesses, professionals and organizations providing vital serves through the Covid-19 pandemic.…
PCCJR Urges Governor Wolf to Sign HB 1737
Protect Those on Front Lines of Pandemic from Needless Lawsuits The Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform (PCCJR) urges Governor Tom Wolf to sign a much needed Covid-19 liability protection bill, HB 1737, after it passed both chambers of the General Assembly this week. “Pennsylvanians are working overtime and then some to get our state…