Both sides of the controversial issue of torture reform took their speech at Georgia Capitol on Thursday, not in the state home or on the Senate floors, but in the corridors under gold cubes.
A group of business owners held a press conference Thursday morning to adopt the legislation Governor Brian Kemp has set out as its main advantage for the 2025 General Assembly session.
The comprehensive draft law, which the Republican-controlled Senate approved last month mainly along the party lines, aims to reduce the prices of the “fugitive” jury in civil laws that business owners complain are threatening to remove them from the business.
“Our industry is under attack … from the frivolous lawsuits,” said Haley Bower-Frank, the chief of marketing for Clipper Petroleum based branches with floral branches, which operates comfort shops throughout the North George. “The current situation is absolutely by pressing small businesses.”
Later on Thursday, victims of human trafficking and lawyers representing victims and their families in lawsuits against businesses where trafficking takes place held a press conference to criticize Bill 68 control of the defendant.
“This bill will give the full immunity to bad actors … no matter how much security measures fail to take,” said Natanya Brooks, a judiciary with an office in Peachtree Corners. “This bill is not good for the Georgians. It will cost life.”
Human trafficking survivors aim for most of their complaints in hotels that they said are aware that trafficking in human beings is continuing inside their premises but failing to act.
At the previous press conference, a hotel executive defended industry practices when it comes to preventing human trafficking.
“The security and security of our properties is always in the vanguard,” said Frank Phair, Vice President of the Hotel Operations for the hospitality of Legacy Ventures, which operates several hotels in Metro Atlanta.
Opponents of the draft law also criticized a provision in the Bill 68 Senate that would seek responsibility in a civil lawsuit to be determined before the jury to consider if either the plaintiff or defendant seeks such “bifurcation” of trials. They said such a bifurim would force victims already traumatized by trafficking to testify many times in court.
After years of failure to postpone significant torture reforms through the General Assembly, Republicans have built a strong moment this year, thanks to most of the KEMP commitment to call a separate session of the legislature if lawmakers do not act on this issue. Torture reform is also lobbying a lot, with two business groups starting advertising campaigns across the country in favor of the draft law this week.
“Small businesses are the backbone of George’s economy, but many local businesses are fighting under the weight of excess costs of court cases,” said Hunter Loggins, director of the National Chapter of the National Business Independent. “Senate Bill 68 would help the main road businesses focus on growing, creating jobs and serving their communities instead of spending time and money fighting unfair lawsuits.”
The Senate bill now sits on the Chamber Rules Committee, which formed a special subcommittee that has heard hours of evidence from both parties. It is expected to reach the floor of the house for a vote next week ..
Opponents said Thursday that they plan to propose a change in legislation to engrave human trafficking from the provision of facility responsibility.