A bill described as “the first part of Gov. Brian Kemp’s multiyear approach to tort reform,” by its sponsor state Rep. Will Wade, R-Dawsonville, received a favorable Georgia House Insurance Committee reading on Feb. 15.

The Republican-backed legislation would allow the State Insurance Commission to gather and track data including how many torts are filed against people holding an insurer’s policy, attorney fees from those suits and the total value of the claims. The intent is to determine the potential impact of tort reform efforts—to see how insurance companies assess tort-related risks, what parts of tort-related risk have the greatest impact on insurance premiums and to track the potential impact of newly passed tort reform measures. The current version of the bill also says the final report will include historic and predictive trends.

A headshot of Will Wade. Georgia state Rep. Will Wade, R-Dawsonville. (Courtesy photo)