Barbour: Bad climate sent Toyota to Texas

By By Terry R. Cassreino / assistant managing editor
April 27, 2004
JACKSON Gov. Haley Barbour said Monday that Toyota's plans to build an $800 million auto assembly plant in Texas highlights the need for major civil justice reform in Mississippi.
Barbour released a copy of an April 20 letter from Dennis Cuneo, Toyota's senior vice president, that said Mississippi's hostile legal climate makes it tough to lure new business and industry to the state.
Barbour, who spoke at a press luncheon Monday, said he remains committed to pushing civil justice reform, more commonly called tort reform, through the Mississippi Legislature.
Barbour, a Republican, backs civil justice reforms that would change where and how lawsuits can be filed. He also supports limits on the amount of money that can be awarded to people for pain-and-suffering.
But the governor faces an uphill battle during the regular 2004 legislative session, set to end May 9. While tort reform bills have passed the state Senate, the issue has faced staunch opposition in the state House.
Nevertheless, House members last week approved a resolution to suspend legislative deadlines and file a new tort reform bill a move that requires two-thirds approval of both the House and Senate.
The Senate Rules Committee voted Monday to approve the House resolution. But instead of filing a new bill, Senate leaders want to re-consider tort reform bills that died earlier this year.
The House proposal for a new bill would not include pain-and-suffering caps. The Senate plan allows caps to be considered.
Fast action
State Sen. Terry Burton, R-Newton, and a member of the Senate Rules Committee, said he believes it would be better and faster if lawmakers revive bills that died rather than start from scratch with a new one.
House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, was unaware of the Senate Rules Committee action. McCoy said House and Senate leaders may have to negotiate a compromise approach to reviving tort reform.
Whatever happens, McCoy said, he believes lawmakers still have enough time to act before the 2004 Legislature ends.
Toyota's decision
Besides Toyota, Barbour also released letters he received this year from Kansas City Southern and Caterpillar both of whom do business in Mississippi citing the need for tort reform.
But Barbour focused most on the letter from Cuneo and Toyota Motor North America. In February 2003, Toyota chose a site in Texas for its new plant rather than a site in North Mississippi.
Cuneo said Toyota was impressed by Texas' support of tort reform which showed the state "was serious about improving its business climate, and this had a positive impact on our decision-making process."
Barbour said tort reform is a major issue that deserves serious legislative consideration. If lawmakers take no action during the 2004 session, he said, he will call a special session or sessions.