Governor Vetoes Pro-Insurance Bills
Friday, February 10, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 10, 2012

CONTACT:

Carla Ferrucci; Executive Director
Minnesota Association for Justice
612-375-1707 Office
612-532-5060 Cell
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Governor Vetoes Pro-Insurance Bills

Governor rejects bills that limit the constitutional rights of Minnesotans.

ST. PAUL, MN – Governor Mark Dayton vetoed several bills today that he says would put ordinary Minnesotans rights at risk, only benefit big insurance companies and that would not create a single job in Minnesota.

The four bills were presented to the Governor individually, but represented a package of bills backed by the insurance industry. Governor Dayton’s individual vetoes can be summed up from the following veto message: “Eliminating Minnesotan’s rights to redress and trial by jury is not a jobs program. This bill would benefit those who commit fraud, negligently injure our citizens and businesses, or allow an unfair work environment. I will not agree to it.”

The four billed that made up the so called ‘reform’ and vetoed by Governor Dayton include:

• SF 149/HF 211 which would have eliminated the ability of consumers and business to hold companies accountable for fraudulent and deceptive acts and dramatically changes Minnesota’s long standing consumer protection legislation.

• SF 373/HF 654 would have robbed innocent victims, including victims of sexual violence of the time they need to recover for the damages they suffered.

• SF429/HF 747 would have restricted the ability of citizens to hold companies accountable for any discriminatory, fraudulent, and employment related wrongful conduct and would affect 300 statutes that require awards of attorney’s fees to prevent wrongful and/or illegal conduct.

• SF 530/HF 770 would have provided a windfall for insurance companies by creating an incentive to avoid paying claims owed to consumers and thereby increasing their profits.

Reacting to the veto message, Brian Wojtalewicz, President of the Minnesota Association for Justice, said “We are grateful that the Governor has seen through the flimsy arguments and justifications for these changes advanced by the insurance industry. There is no litigation explosion in Minnesota. In fact, personal injury case filings have gone down 40% since 1997; Minnesota has the lowest medical malpractice premiums in the country; Minnesota’s auto insurance premiums have gone down approximately 14% since 2003 and, our court rules and procedures are the envy of the every other state in the country.”

“By vetoing these bills Governor Dayton has preserved the ability of individuals to assert their constitutional rights,” said Rich Ruohonen Legislative Chair of the Minnesota Association for Justice. “Today the Governor has shown that he will support the rights of individual citizens and for that we thank him.” Ruohonen concluded.

The Minnesota Association for Justice (MAJ) is a professional association of attorneys who represent Minnesotans wrongfully harmed or injured in person, property or human rights. MAJ defends the rights guaranteed by the Constitutions and laws of the United States and Minnesota, foremost among them the right to a trial by jury and advocates for public policy to enhance consumer rights and protection.

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