Morning, y’all! Happy Earth Day! Where’s your favorite place to enjoy nature in the South? One of mine is Sweetwater Creek State Park, just west of Atlanta. It’s on our list of the best walking trails in the Atlanta area , for when you want to literally stop and smell the flowers.
Let’s get to it.
BREAKING DOWN KEMP’S LEGAL OVERHAUL
Gov. Brian Kemp signed two new laws yesterday that will overhaul Georgia’s legal system. This was part of his big legislative push this year to limit lawsuits against companies and property owners. He and other supporters say the laws will lower insurance premiums by culling frivolous personal injury lawsuits. Only time will tell if that actually happens. For now, here’s what the laws do:
- Limit when businesses can be sued for injuries that occur on their property
- Allow plaintiffs to show actual medical costs alongside initial bills, which sometimes reflect inflated charges
- Allow cases to be split into two stages, with the first determining fault and the second assessing damages
The new package makes exceptions for things like sex crimes and cases with low damage payouts.
What’s the big idea? If the laws work the way Kemp wants, businesses and commercial property owners would see relief on their liability coverages. However, opponents worry the plan relies too much on insurance companies actually lowering rates and say everyday people could lose the power to hold companies accountable for wrongdoing…