Relative to reporting requirements for persons or entities financing lawsuits.
Impact
By instituting these reporting requirements, the bill will have significant implications for state laws regarding consumer protection and financial disclosures in legal proceedings. The act outlines strict guidelines for commercial litigation financiers, preventing them from entering agreements with foreign entities of concern. This is aimed at ensuring that funding sources for legal claims are reputable and do not compromise the integrity of the judicial process. Overall, the bill reinforces consumer rights while providing a regulatory framework for litigation funding.
Summary
House Bill 733 establishes the New Hampshire Third-Party Litigation Funding Transparency Act, regulating consumer litigation finance agreements to enhance consumer protections. The bill aims to ensure that individuals who utilize third-party funding for litigation are aware of their agreements and the implications of such funding. Key provisions include mandates for disclosure of commercial litigation financing agreements at the time of asserting a civil action, enhancing transparency in the financing arrangements that can impact consumer litigants.
Contention
While proponents of HB 733 argue that it promotes transparency and protects consumers from exploitative practices, there may be contention over the regulatory burdens it imposes on litigation financiers. Critics may argue that these regulations could deter legitimate financing options, particularly for individuals who rely on such funding to pursue legal claims. Balancing the need for transparency with the access to necessary funding for litigants will be a key point of discussion among stakeholders as the bill moves forward.
Relative to prohibiting certain products with intentionally added PFAS and relative to civil actions for PFAS contamination, and relative to settlement of lawsuits against manufacturers of PFAS for impacts to public drinking water systems.