Macon senator touts tort reform, eyes Lt. Gov. seat

State Sen. John F. Kennedy stopped in Macon to tout his legislative victory in spearheading the passage of tort reform bills, which he says will lower insurance rates and protect small businesses.

Thirty or so business owners, including Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Valerie Wynn, congregated inside the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce headquarters on Poplar Street early Wednesday to hear from Kennedy, R–Macon, just days after he announced his bid for lieutenant governor.

Tort reform — civil law changes aimed at limiting negligence claims in an effort to reduce frivolous lawsuits against companies — took center stage in the recent legislative session after Gov. Brian Kemp threatened to invoke a special session if certain measures, including tort reform, were not passed.

Kemp ultimately got tort reform through in April with the signage of Senate Bills 68 and 69. The bills were sponsored by Kennedy, who said he has worked on tort reform for the past eight years.

“People were, and do, care very much about us having a continued good economic environment here for job creators to also help stabilize insurance rates that people are paying and making sure that it’s a fair system at the courthouse,” Kennedy said.

The senator said he believes the bills will restabilize insurance costs by luring insurance companies back into Georgia and driving down prices through competition.

Kennedy pointed to tort reform measures in Florida adopted in 2023 as an example of the positive impact of those policies.

“Three of the largest insurance companies that insure people in Florida filed for rate decreases just this year,” he said.

Senate Bill 68 changes trial procedures and limits damages for lawsuits involving cases where crimes by a third party occur on a business’ property, which are called premises liability cases. 

Opponents of the bill argued it would prevent victims of sex trafficking from seeking damages. The House ultimately added a provision to protect sex trafficking victims and their lawyers under premise liability law.

Kennedy said the new law does not make it more difficult for
victims to sue.

Senate Bill 69 adds guardrails to third-party litigation, which Kennedy says is a matter of consumer protection and national security.

The new law requires plaintiffs to disclose the use of a third-party litigator and bans “foreign adversaries” from being a party to such lawsuits, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

Kennedy said the bill spawned from a “cottage industry” of third-party litigators looking to profit from civil cases.

“Let’s call it what it is, it’s gambling on our civil justice,” Kennedy told attendees. 

The event was organized by Greater Georgia, an advocacy organization founded by former Georgia Republican U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler. 

Carmen Bergman, senior policy advisor for Greater Georgia, said tort reform is a “hot topic” that has attracted a lot of interest. The organization will next stop in Gwinnett County on its statewide information tour.

George Emami, a Forsyth-based real estate investment broker and former Monroe County commissioner, said rising insurance costs have been “debilitating” for his business. He said those costs have forced him to raise prices, increasing costs for consumers.

“The biggest challenge is the general consumer doesn’t fully realize that tort reform affects them,” he said. 

Kennedy announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor June 2. The Macon lawyer, who is partner at James-Bates-Brannan-Groover law firm, was first elected to the state senate in 2014. He currently serves as the president pro tempore of the senate.

With the primary 11 months away, Kennedy said he thinks it’s a good idea to get his message out early. He noted his work on addressing chronic absenteeism in schools with Senate Bill 123, and said folks should expect legislation to come out of the study committee on absenteeism that he chairs.

“We need to keep Georgia growing, we need to keep Georgia learning, and we need to keep Georgia safe,” Kennedy said.