LEGISLATIVE MATTERS
Chamber introduced several bills focused on legal
reform as a potential legislative counters to the
Hilburn decision.
• Lawsuit Advertising // The first bill prohibits
certain deceptive lawsuit advertising practices
and restricts use or disclosure of protected health
information to solicit individuals for legal services.
It attempts to curb misleading legal advertisements
that might imply a product is proven harmful
or recalled, and also prohibits consumer data
collection companies whose advertisements
appear like a legal ad, but they’re a data collection
agency that sells the information of potential
clients to law firms.
•
Attorneys’ Fees // The second bill places a
sliding scale cap on attorney’s fees. With the
elimination of caps on non-economic damages,
this bill intends to place more of the rewards in
the pockets of individuals who have been harmed,
rather than in the pocket of trial lawyers.
• Financing Litigation // To stem the growing
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national trend of hedge funds investing in litigation
the final bill requires disclosure of third parties
who are financing litigation against a defendant.
It requires compensation from anyone who has
entered into a third-party agreement for the
reasonable costs associated with subpoenas for
information related pending litigation.
State Farm Bill on Notices // State Farm introduced
a bill to amend statutes that require non-renewal
notices to be sent out either 30 or 60 days before
expiration. The amendments would allow a company
the option of notifying the insured of changes the
company wants to make in the policy without having
to non-renew and then issue a new policy with the
changes. The bill would require the companies to
explain any changes in the policy clearly.
Dan Murray is KAIA’s lobbyist and has 17 years lobbying
state legislative issues. He other experience includes
local, legislative and administrative branch monitoring,
legal issue management, and professional association
management. He has worked on behalf of Fortune 500
companies, trade and professional associations, health
care groups, and not-for-profit organizations.
LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP
House
Speaker: Ron Ryckman Jr. (R-Olathe)
Speaker Pro Tem: Blaine Finch (R-Ottawa)
Majority Leader: Dan Hawkins (R-Wichita)
Assistant Majority Leader: Les Mason (R-McPherson)
Republican Caucus Chair: Susan Humphries (R-Wichita)
Republican Caucus Whip: Blake Carpenter (R-Wichita)
Minority Leader: Tom Sawyer (D-Wichita)
Asst. Minority Leader: Valdenia Winn (D-Kansas City)
Minority Whip: Jim Gartner (D-Topeka)
Democrat Caucus Policy Chair: Eileen Horn (D-Lawrence)
Democrat Caucus Chair: Barbara Ballard (D-Lawrence)
Democrat Agenda Chair: Brett Parker (D-Overland Park)
Senate
President: Susan Wagle (R-Wichita)
Vice President: Jeff Longbine (R-Emporia)
Majority Leader: Jim Denning (R-Overland Park)
Assistant Majority Leader: TBD
Majority Whip: Elaine Bowers (R-Concordia)
Minority Leader: Anthony Hensley (D-Topeka)
Asst. Minority Leader: Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D-Wichita)
Minority Whip: Pat Pettey (D-Kansas City)
Democrat Agenda Chair: Marci Francisco (D-Lawrence)
Democrat Caucus Chair: Tom Hawk (D-Manhattan)
KAIA GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CONTACTS
Dave Hulcher
Will Larson
Dan Murray
Beth Smoller