HomeMy WebLinkAbout012324 Please consider contacting Sen_ Van De Wege on prejudgment interest- WSAC opposes this billALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Good morning, I am writing to ask that you please consider contacting Sen. Van De Wege and ask him to oppose SB 5059 <https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5059&Year=2023&Initiative=false>
, prejudgment interest.
Very generally, our fear is that this will “bust” our risk pools and make it so that insurance is either unaffordable or unattainable as insurers decline to offer policies. Insurance
is already one of our highest expenditures for counties. While proponents say that this is simply a matter of fairness and point to other states where prejudgment interest is the norm,
it’s worth noting that these other states do not have the same liberal tort liability laws that Washington has with respect to recovery of fees and the waiver of sovereign immunity.
To put it simply, it is easier to sue on more things for bigger amounts in Washington than it is in some other states (which often limit how counties can even be sued in the first
place). It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison. Current law Judgments already account for the value of claims; adding prejudgment interest can result in double-counting. There is
an amendment in committee relating to future damages and sexual assault claims that improves the bill, but does little to help local for typical government claims (our claims are different
from those schools face, and the amendment mostly helps schools_.
I’m happy to discuss or provide more information if you’d like. I have, of course, been in contact with the Senator and testified in opposition to the bill, but it would be very helpful
if he heard from some of his commissioners, directly.
His contact information is:
Van De Wege, Kevin (D) <https://leg.wa.gov/senate/senators/pages/default.aspx#vandewege>
24 <https://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/displaydistrict/24>
JAC 212
(360) 786-7646
kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov <mailto:kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov>
Assistant: O'Connor, Ryan
Ryan.O'Connor@leg.wa.gov <mailto:Ryan.O'Connor@leg.wa.gov>
Thank you for your consideration and help!
All the best,
Mike Hoover (for WSAC)
360-561-6853