AIM pushes for legal reform in meetings with House and Senate leaders

A large and broad coalition of business advocates and groups attended meetings today with House and Senate leadership to emphasize legal reform priorities for the 2020 legislative session. The meetings were organized by the Missouri Civil Justice Reform Coalition, led by Executive Director Rich Aubuchon. Associated Industries of Missouri is an active member of the coalition.

Pictured above, left to right: Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, House Speaker Elijah Haahr, Senate Majority Floor Leader Caleb Rowden, and House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann.

The coalition first met with Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz and Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden. Both committed to working to pass meaningful legal reform measures this session. In the Senate session that followed the meeting, the Senate made good on that promise, referring several important legal reform priorities of the business community to committees. This is the first major step in the legislative process. Following those referrals, hearings were posted on several of the coalition's priorities.

The coalition then met with House Speaker Elijah Haahr and House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann to discuss the same issues. Speaker Haahr committed to working with the Senate on legal reform issues and said he would be referring some of the legal reform bills to committee very soon.

"We were very encouraged by the actions of Senate leadership in referring the bills to committee and to the various committee chairs for scheduling hearings in the first full week of the 2020 legislative session," said Ray McCarty, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM) who attended the meetings. "We believe fairness in the legal system is essential to providing an environment in which Missouri businesses may thrive, benefiting both employers and employees. We thank the Missouri Civil Justice Reform Coalition for its work over the years and look forward to accomplishing many pieces of legal reform legislation in 2020, with the help of these strong leaders in the Senate and House," he said.