The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is continuing its push to reduce the statute of limitations for personal injury cases from five years to two years. A statute of limitations is the legal time limit in which a person must file a lawsuit after an alleged injury or incident occurs.
HB 2182, sponsored by Rep. Ian Mackey (D-St. Louis), would allow both sides in a case to gather information while the details are still fresh and help Missouri’s court system function more efficiently.
Several states currently have a two-year statute of limitations including neighboring states Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas and Kentucky.
In addition, medical malpractice claims already have a two-year statute of limitations in Missouri.
Mackey presented his bill to the House Commerce Committee this week.
“I’ve traveled around this state and many other states with groups such as the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, hearing from business people about what we can do to recruit more businesses to the state and grow our population,” Mackey said. “Site placement and a talented workforce are at the top of the list, but right behind those is the regulatory environment. Having that half-a-decade time period hamstrings businesses, especially when neighboring states have the two-year limit.”
Action is needed to ensure Missouri’s legal climate does not hinder economic growth. Research from the American Tort Reform Association shows Missouri loses more than 65,000 jobs due to excessive litigation, and according to the Missouri Chamber’s annual CEO Survey, one third of business leaders believe the state’s legal environment is getting worse.
Missouri Chamber Vice President for Government Affairs Jared Hankinson told lawmakers this is a commonsense approach to help the state’s business climate.
“I do want to take this opportunity to thank Rep. Mackey for traveling the state to meet our members, hearing their concerns, and then taking action on legislation to be responsive to those concerns,” Hankinson said.
For more information, contact Hankinson at jhankinson@mochamber.com or call (573) 634-3511.
