Bill doesn’t serve the people

Your recent editorial urging Gov. Pritzker to veto SB 328 highlights important concerns about transparency and special interests. Here is another important reason for veto: SB 328 doesn’t serve the people of Illinois; it puts them last.

This bill doesn’t help Illinois residents harmed in Illinois. They already have full access to our courts. SB 328 applies only when someone is injured outside Illinois and lives outside the state, allowing them to sue in Illinois, simply because the defendant does business here. The only effect of the bill is to invite out-of-state lawsuits into our court system, even when the case has no real connection to our state.

So, who really benefits? Trial attorneys, and their lobbying organization, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, are looking to venue-shop for courts they think will produce bigger payouts. And who pays the price? Regular Illinoisans.

Our courts will be flooded with cases that have nothing to do with us. This results in longer delays, more congested dockets, and fewer resources for Illinois residents who truly need justice. Cook County’s courts are already among the most backlogged and slow-moving in the country, and this bill will only exacerbate the issue.

Illinois’ legal system should serve the people who live here, not be sold off to the highest-bidding special interest. For the sake of fairness and common sense, Gov. Pritzker must veto SB 328.

Phil Melin Executive Director

Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse

Lake Forest