February 13, 2025 - For the first time in several years, the Missouri Senate has passed a tort reform bill.
SB 47 (Trent) aligns Missouri class action rules with federal class action rules regarding certification of a class. The bill was passed by the Senate today on a vote of 27-5 and will advance to the Missouri House for further consideration.
Missouri currently utilizes an old version of Rule 23 of the Federal Rule of Procedure dealing with class actions. If passed, SB 47 would update the state court rule to match the updated federal rule. The federal rule was updated in 2018 to account for inconsistent application in federal courts. Reports from practicing lawyers showcased inconsistencies in applying the rules of class action regarding the timing for certifying a class, handling settlements, notice to class members and opting out of class actions.
"It is my hope that with passage of SB 47, the adoption of an updated rule on class action lawsuits, that our great state of Missouri will have parity with federal court rules and promote more consistent results while reducing costs and burdens of litigation for all parties," said sponsor Sen. Curtis Trent.
"We are pleased with Senator Trent's strong leadership in passing the first tort bill of the session, and in fact, the first in several years," said Ray McCarty, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Missouri. "We look forward to favorable consideration in the Missouri House," he said.
We will update you on the progress of this legislation in future posts.
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