Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones expressed his appreciation for the efforts of Governor Brian Kemp and other legislators in working towards implementing "sensible lawsuit reform" to support the state's business community. This statement was made on August 22.
"I want to thank Governor Kemp for bringing this group together," said Jones, according to Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. "I have always supported measures to get Georgia's business community the relief it needs. We made legitimate strides last session to level the playing field when a case reaches the courtroom. I look forward to working with Governor Kemp, Speaker Burns, and other stakeholders to pass sensible lawsuit reform that will benefit our growing business community and strengthen Georgia's business friendly climate."
According to a press release from the governor's office, Lt. Gov. Jones attended the first roundtable session of Gov. Kemp’s "listening tour" on August 22. The goal of this tour is for state leadership to connect with business leaders and other community stakeholders across Georgia to address concerns and develop solutions for civil litigation policies affecting the state's business climate.
The Georgia Senate noted in a February post on X that SB 426, which restricts direct action lawsuits where a plaintiff simultaneously sues both motor carriers and their insurance providers, is one tort reform measure aimed at stabilizing insurance costs for businesses in the state. "Thanks to the leadership of Senator Blake Tillery and @LtGovJonesGA, we passed a tort reform bill with overwhelming bipartisan support," the Senate said in the post. "SB 426 is a Senate Republican priority that will help stabilize and reduce insurance costs for Georgia businesses."
Governor Kemp called for tort reform last August, emphasizing its importance as a legislative priority, according to Atlanta News First. The political action committee Hardworking Georgians said that excessive lawsuits are driving up insurance costs for residents who may already be struggling financially. Cody Hall, Executive Director of Hardworking Georgians, said, "For too long, Georgia tort laws have encouraged frivolous lawsuits that hamstring job creators, drive up insurance costs for families already struggling to make ends meet, undermine fairness in the courtroom, and make it harder to start, grow, and operate a small business."
A new report from Insurify found that Georgia has the tenth highest car insurance costs in the country despite its overall low cost of living, GA News Gazette previously reported. As of June, Georgia drivers were paying an average of $2,688 annually for full coverage car insurance—a 21% increase from June 2023. Insurify projected that car insurance costs will rise by 24% in 2024, meaning drivers will pay an average of $2,893 by year-end. In comparison, Georgia’s overall cost of living is 10% lower than the national average.
Jones was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2012. According to his website, prior to entering public service he worked for his family’s business, Jones Petroleum, and founded the risk management firm JP Capital Inc.