HCSHB2206--STATUTEOFLIMITATION
SPONSOR: Trent
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheSpecial
CommitteeonLitigationReformbyavoteof6to3.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
2206.
Currently,actionsforpersonalinjuryorrelatingtouninsured
motoristcoverageorunderinsuredmotoristcoveragemustbebrought
withinfiveyearsfromthedatetheinjuryoccurred. Thisbill
reducesthetimeframetotwoyearsfromwhentheinjuryoccurred.
Thisbillalsoappliestoasbestostortactionsfiledonorafter
August28,2022,andtoasbestosactionsfiledbeforeAugust28,
2022.Thebill:
(1)Requiresaclaimanttoprovideallpartiesinanactiona
swornstatementandinformationformindicatingthatallasbestos
trustclaimsthattheclaimantcanfilehavebeencompletedand
filed.Inaddition,theclaimantmustprovideallpartieswithall
trustmaterialsrelatingtotheasbestosexposureandrelated
claims;
(2)Allowsanydefendantinanasbestostortactiontofilea
motionforanordertorequiretheclaimanttofiletheadditional
asbestostrustclaimsthedefendantbelievestheclaimantis
eligibletofile;
(3)Requirestrustclaimsmaterialsandtrustgovernancedocuments
tobeadmissibleinevidence. Claimsofprivilegedonotapplyto
trustclaimsmaterialsortrustgovernancedocuments;
(4)Allowsarebuttablepresumptionthatifaclaimantproceedsto
trialinanasbestosactionbeforeanasbestostrustclaimis
resolved,theclaimantisentitledto,andwillreceive,the
compensationspecifiedinthetrustgovernancedocumentsapplicable
tohisorherclaimatthetimeoftrial.
(5)Allowsthecourtto,uponmotionbythedefendant,dismissan
actionwithoutprejudicefortheclaimant'sfailuretocomplywith
thesedisclosurerequirements. Adefendantmay,withinthreeyears
afterjudgment,movetoreopenajudgmentinanasbestosactionif
aclaimantfilescertainadditionalasbestostrustclaims.The
billshallnotapplytoanypaid,volunteer,orretired
firefighter,paramedic,oremergencymedicaltechnician.
ThisbillissimilartoHCSHB922(2021). Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbillwillmakethenecessary
updatetothestatuteoflimitations. Amajorityofthestates
havealreadypassedsimilarlegislation. Thisbillallowsforthe
evidenceonthesematterstobesecureandmorereliable. Thebill
alsopromotestimelyresolutions.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Trent;National
AssociationofMutualInsuranceCompanies(NAMIC);BayerU.S.LLC;
EnterpriseLeasingofSt.Louis,LLC;MissouriInsuranceCoalition;
MissouriRetailersAssociation;MissouriGrocersAssociation;
MissouriTireIndustryAssociation;MissouriAssociationof
CampgroundandRVParks;MissouriCivilJusticeReformCoalition;
AmericanPropertyCasualtyInsuranceAssociation;TheDoctors
Company;DanaFrese,MissouriOrganizationofDefenseLawyers;
MissouriHospitalAssociation;AssociatedIndustriesofMissouri;
MissouriChamberofCommerceandIndustry;StateFarmInsurance;
andtheNationalFederationofIndependentBusiness(NFIB).
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthisbillwill
strainthejudicialresourcesfurtherthantheyalreadyare.The
billwillrushinvestigations andcausemorelawsuitsthan
resolutions.
TestifyingagainstthebillwereArnieC.AcDienoff;SusanGibson;
MissouriAssociationofTrialAttorneys;andJosephL.GoffSr..
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.