Bold,
Rock Solid Leadership for Texas Tort
Reform
Changing
the course of Texas is often tough and frightening.
After years of attempting major tort reform
legislation, Texans found a champion who
stood tall and brave against the brutal
onslaught of personal injury trial lawyers
and their multi-million dollar lobby. A
quiet, studious attorney, Joe Nixon is a
State Representative serving House District
133 in Houston . He is currently Chairman
of the Civil Practices Committee and a member
of the Higher Education committee. He was
first elected in 1994.
House
Bill 4 of the regular 78th Legislative Session
was an omnibus wish list for every Texan
affected by predatory litigation. Well,
that is EVERY Texan because we all pay higher
prices, have fewer choices and freedoms
to avoid any chance of a lawsuit. Nationally,
Texas is recognized as a litigation lottery
state. The American Tort Reform Association
listed 4 out of the top 11 “judicial hell-holes”
are in Texas.
Nixon
found himself a target of the controversy,
yet stood tall for the onslaught. Debating
HB 4 for weeks on the House floor, Nixon
shot down hundreds of amendments that would
have killed the bill and others that were
simply delaying tactics. Some of the
debate attacks from elected trial attorneys
were personal and vile in nature. The opposition
knew they did not have the votes, so harassment
was the game plan.
With
the demeanor of a stately gentleman, Nixon
kept his cool, conferred with his team and
stayed focused on the victory.
And
what a victory. The Wall Street Journal
called the legislation “Ten-Gallon Tort
Reform” (WSJ Editorial, 6/7/03 ) “One of
America 's lawsuit meccas does a turnabout”.
Every
citizen, physician, teacher, neighbor, employer
and consumer in Texas thanks you, Joe!
ARTICLE
ARCHIVE
PREVIOUS
ISSUES
HOME
|
