by Richard D Cloud – Lafayette, LA
As a Louisiana voter who has long supported meaningful legal reform, I want to extend my sincere thanks to the members of the Louisiana House of Representatives who took decisive action in the opening weeks of the Legislative Session and passed major reforms that will help restore fairness and balance in our civil justice system.
By advancing several key bills aimed at modernizing our laws and reining in lawsuit abuse, lawmakers sent a clear signal that they are serious about tackling the root causes of our state’s high insurance costs and anti-business legal climate. Among the most important is HB431 [by Rep. Emily Chenevert], which would align Louisiana with most states by adopting a modified comparative fault standard. This long-overdue reform ensures that anyone who is primarily responsible for their own injury in a car accident can’t walk away with a payday from it. This common-sense standard promotes fairness and personal responsibility.
Equally Important
Equally important is HB450 [by Rep. Michael Melerine], which repeals the Housley Presumption, ending the absurd practice of presuming injury without evidence. HB34 [by Rep. Brian Glorioso] brings much-needed transparency to medical expenses in personal injury lawsuits, allowing juries to consider what’s actually paid, not just the inflated “sticker price.” And with HB434 [by Rep. Jason Dewitt] raising the bar on recovery for uninsured drivers, lawmakers are wisely reinforcing personal responsibility while helping reduce overall claims costs. These reforms aren’t just good policy—they’re common sense. They will help discourage abuse of our court system and send a strong message that Louisiana is serious about creating a fairer legal environment that benefits families, drivers, and job creators alike.
I applaud Speaker of the House Phillip DeVillier and other House members for standing with citizens like me over special interests and voting in favor of these bills.
Now it’s time for the Louisiana Senate to finish the job. I urge our senators to prioritize these common-sense legal reforms, pass them without delay, and send them to Governor Landry’s desk. Our families, small businesses, and hardworking citizens deserve a civil justice system that is fair, transparent, and focused on real accountability, not jackpot justice. Let’s make 2025 the year Louisiana finally turns the page on lawsuit abuse.
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Behind Every Blade of Grass
There’s a running joke around our office that Citizens for a New Louisiana is hiding behind every blade of grass. We’ve heard stories about government officials reconsidering questionable decisions because they were worried we’d find out. That’s a remarkable return on an investment we never made: "reaping where we did not sow, and gathering where we scattered no seed." But there’s something important in here, too.
Our little flashlight has earned us a reputation for bringing things to light. Now many officials act as if someone is watching, even when there isn't. That’s the real value of our government transparency work. It's more than just exposing wrongdoing after the fact. We've created an environment where public officials think twice.
Of course, we can’t actually be behind every blade of grass. There are thousands of public meetings, countless government transactions, and more questionable decisions than our small team could ever hope to investigate. But with your help, we can keep them wondering.
If you believe government works better when someone is paying attention, please consider supporting our work.
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