The Wisconsin Civil Justice Council (WCJC) recently awarded several legislators for their work during the 2023-24 legislative session. WCJC presented Reps. John Spiros and Rick Gundrum and Sen. Cory Tomczyk with the Outstanding Leadership Award for their work on Senate Bill 613, legislation to limit excessive damage awards against trucking companies and commercial drivers.

"SB 613 would have helped to address a disturbing trend in the trucking industry by striking an appropriate balance between trucking firms and those who file lawsuits," said Bill G. Smith, WCJC President and Wisconsin State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business. "The trucking industry is dominated by small, independent carriers that cannot afford these exorbitant damage awards."

"As unreasonable jury awards become increasingly common, this raises insurance rates and ultimately impacts everyone that purchases goods transported by truck," added Scott Manley, WCJC Vice President and Executive Vice President of Government Relations for Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. "Excessive litigation costs are always passed on to consumers and other businesses."

During the 2023-24 session, WCJC successfully advanced through both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature SB 613, legislation to create a $1 million per-victim cap on the recovery of noneconomic damages from trucking companies and commercial drivers.

Authored by Sen. Cory Tomczyk (R-Mosinee) and Reps. John Spiros (R-Marshfield) and Rick Gundrum (R-Slinger), the goal of the bill was to protect employers from unreasonable "nuclear verdicts" and help stabilize insurance costs for the trucking industry.

Despite broad support for SB 613 among Wisconsin’s business community, Gov. Tony Evers (D) vetoed SB 613, likely due to opposition from the plaintiff’s bar.