The Wisconsin Senate is scheduled to vote on Special Session Senate Bill 1, relating to civil liability reform, on Tuesday, January 18. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday, January 14, voted 3-2 to move the bill to the floor. The bill was amended by the Republicans to address issues raised by opponents of the legislation.

Specifically, the amendment:

• Removes the retroactive application of the civil liability provisions.
• Clarifies that the Daubert standards are to be identical to those comparable provisions contained in Federal Rules of Evidence 702.
• Deletes provisions setting forth new standards for the application of punitive damages and adds a cap to punitive damages of $200,000 or two times compensatory damages, whichever is greater.

WCJC fully supports each of these changes. The Assembly Judiciary Committee is also scheduled to hold an Executive Session on Tuesday to vote the bill out of committee and move it to the full Assembly.

A story about the changes made by the Senate can be read here.