‘Sunshine in litigation’ bill loses

Friday, April 27, 2001 | 10:46 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The so-called "sunshine in litigation" bill, which was vigorously opposed by big business, died Thursday night when supporters could muster only a few votes.

"I'm grievously disappointed," said Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, who had led the fight for Senate Bill 411 that would bar private court settlements that may conceal a substantial public hazard.

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, who also supported the bill, complained that "powerful special interests," including drug companies, auto manufacturers, tobacco interests and the chemical industry, sought to kill the measure.

She suggested they hired the "top gun lobbyists" to kill the measure.

The bill was up for a final vote when Sen. Lawrence Jacobsen, R-Minden, sidetracked the measure to the desk, where it will die because today is the final deadline for passage by the Senate.

A voice vote was taken on Jacobsen's amendment, and James said he heard only three people voting to keep the legislation alive.

The bill was aimed at preventing private court settlements in which products may have caused death or injury. Titus complained the companies find it is cheaper to settle these cases and hide the defects, rather than correct the wrongs. The bill would have given an interested party the right to petition a judge to open a private settlement.