 |
| ESPC Home | | | 1997-98 LAP* Book | | | Background | | | Legislators | | | PAC's | | | Legislation | | | LAP* Book Home |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
HJ 3: LIMITATION ON DAMAGES - 1997 General Session
Sponsor: Rep. Roger Huckfeldt (R-H4, Torrington); co-sponsors Rep. George McMurtrey (R-H52, Rozet), Rep. Larry Meuli (R-H8, Cheyenne), Rep. "Teense" Willford (R-H47, Saratoga), Sen. Irene Devin (R-S10, Laramie), Sen. Dick Erb (R-S24, Gillette), Sen. Charlie Scott (R-S30, Casper)
House Joint Resolution 3 proposed to amend the Wyoming Constitution at Article 10, Section 4, which prohibits the Legislature from enacting laws limiting the amount of damages to be recovered in civil actions.
The proposed amendment, which was also offered in the 1995 general session, would have allowed the Legislature to enact laws limiting non-economic damages in all civil cases, regardless of the facts in any specific case.
Non-economic damages include damages for disfigurement, amputation, paralysis, disability, pain, loss of ability to have children, etc.
HJ 3 was part of a "tort reform" effort.
Proponents of tort reform believe that the lack of limits on damages a person can recover increases insurance rates, negatively affecting businesses and professions.
Opponents argued that there is no evidence to support the claim that limiting non-economic damages keeps insurance costs down.
Opponents also emphasized that limits on non-economic damages are arbitrary and most severely affect people with catastrophic injuries, so the best way to ensure fair compensation is to have the facts of each individual case evaluated by a jury of Wyoming citizens.
HJ 3 was defeated in the House Committee of the Whole (the first opportunity for full floor debate), 25-32 (2 excused and 1 conflict).
A YES vote means the legislator favored amending the Wyoming Constitution to allow limitation of damages in civil actions.
A NO vote means the legislator opposed amending the Wyoming Constitution to allow limitation of damages in civil actions.
|
BIG HORN BASIN LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
H24 |
Rep. Peg Shreve (R) |
Yes |
|
H50 |
Rep. Pat Childers (R) |
Excused |
|
H25 |
Rep. Denny Smith (R) |
Yes |
|
H26 |
Rep. Chas. Hessenthaler (R) |
Excused |
|
H27 |
Rep. Ray Harrison (R) |
Yes |
|
H28 |
Rep. Mike Baker (R) |
Yes |
|
CASPER-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
H35 |
Rep. Dorothy Perkins (R) |
No |
|
H36 |
Rep. Bruce Hinchey (R) |
Yes |
|
H56 |
Rep. Pat Nagel (R) |
No |
|
H57 |
Rep. Bob Tanner (R) |
Yes |
|
H37 |
Rep. Rick Tempest (R) |
Yes |
|
H59 |
Rep. Nancy Berry (D) |
No |
|
H38 |
Rep. Carolyn Paseneaux (R) |
Yes |
|
H58 |
Rep. Ann Robinson (D) |
No |
|
CHEYENNE-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
H7 |
Rep. Tony Ross (R) |
No |
|
H41 |
Rep. Mac McGraw (D) |
No |
|
H8 |
Rep. Larry Meuli (R) |
Yes |
|
H42 |
Rep. John Hanes (R) |
No |
|
H9 |
Rep. Wayne Johnson (R) |
No |
|
H10 |
Rep. Pete Anderson (R) |
Yes |
|
H11 |
Rep. Wayne Reese (D) |
No |
|
H43 |
Rep. Kathryn Sessions (D) |
No |
|
H12 |
Rep. Leo Garcia (D) |
No |
|
H44 |
Rep. Floyd Esquibel (D) |
No |
|
GILLETTE-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
H31 |
Rep. John Hines (R) |
Yes |
|
H52 |
Rep. George McMurtrey (R) |
Yes |
|
H32 |
Rep. Jeff Wasserburger (R) |
Yes |
|
H53 |
Rep. Nick Deegan (D) |
No |
|
LANDER/RIVERTON-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
H33 |
Rep. Harry Tipton (R) |
Y |
|
H54 |
Rep. Cale Case (R) |
No |
|
H34 |
Rep. Frank Philp (R) |
No |
|
H55 |
Rep. Eli Bebout (R) |
No |
|
NORTHEAST/EAST CENTRAL WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
H1 |
Rep. Marlene Simons (R) |
Yes |
|
H2 |
Rep. Ross Diercks (D) |
Yes |
|
H5 |
Rep. Jim Hageman (R) |
Yes |
|
H6 |
Rep. Jim Anderson (R) |
No |
|
H3 |
Rep. Bill Stafford (R) |
Yes |
|
H4 |
Rep. Roger Huckfeldt (R) |
Yes |
|
SHERIDAN-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
H29 |
Rep. Rick Badgett (R) |
No |
|
H51 |
Rep. Bruce Burns (R) |
No |
|
H30 |
Rep. Bill Bensel (D) |
No |
|
H40 |
Rep. Douglas Osborn (R) |
Yes |
|
SOUTH CENTRAL WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
H13 |
Rep. Mike Massie (D) |
No |
|
H45 |
Rep. Wende Barker (D) |
No |
|
H14 |
Rep. Phil Nicholas (R) |
No |
|
H46 |
Rep. Tom Rardin (R) |
Conflict |
|
H15 |
Rep. Tony Rose (R) |
Yes |
|
H47 |
Rep. Teense Willford (R) |
Yes |
|
SOUTHWEST WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
H16 |
Rep. Kenilynn Zanetti (D) |
No |
|
H48 |
Rep. Jack Steinbrech (R) |
Yes |
|
H17 |
Rep. Fred Parady (R) |
No |
|
H60 |
Rep. Louise Ryckman (D) |
No |
|
H18 |
Rep. John Eyre (R) |
No |
|
H39 |
Rep. Chris Boswell (D) |
No |
|
H19 |
Rep. Wayne Morrow (D) |
No |
|
H49 |
Rep. Ken Decaria (D) |
No |
|
WEST CENTRAL WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
H20 |
Rep. Louie Tomassi (R) |
No |
|
H21 |
Rep. Randall Luthi (R) |
No |
|
H22 |
Rep. Budd Betts (R) |
Yes |
|
H23 |
Rep. Clarene Law (R) |
Yes |
www.equalitystate.org
Copyright 1999, Equality State Policy Center