Editorial - Another pro-jobs measure nixed

JEFFERSON CITY -- Consistency is the name of the game right now in Missouri -- consistently wrong that is. At least that's the observation of Gary Marble, president of Associated Industries of Missouri, in response to the governor's veto of tort reform legislation, Senate Bill 280.

"You can always count on this governor to do the wrong thing for Missouri business," said Marble.

Senate Bill 280 provided much needed tort relief for physicians and businesses in the state of Missouri. Both physicians and businesses have been quitting business or leaving the state in droves, in large part due to the financial pressures exerted by civil tort actions.

In his veto message, the governor stated he was willing to accept venue reform and damage caps, but only for physicians.

"When did we become a state where, by virtue of occupation, some citizens have greater protection under the law than others?" asked Marble. "Our constitution guarantees equal treatment. The governor's suggestion of dual legal systems -- one for doctors and one for everyone else -- is a blow to the heart of our constitution."

With the governor's veto, St. Louis will retain its dubious recognition as one of the top 10 judicial hellholes in the nation. And with that veto, more physicians, more businesses and more jobs will move elsewhere.