Two House members are seeking to make far-reaching changes to the process by which the state and local governments pay out claims for deaths, injuries and wrongful imprisonment.
Under current law, a legal doctrine known as “sovereign immunity” requires the Legislature to approve payment of any claim against the state or local governments in excess of $300,000. Though the awards have been vetted in court and are often not in dispute, claimants with higher settlements must get individual claim bills through both legislative chambers and then signed by the governor, a process that usually takes years if it is successful at all.
