The increasing cost of civil litigation, whether through legal fees, higher liability insurance premiums, defensive business practices or simply reduced investment opportunities, is a significant burden for Kentucky’s employers. These costs are not only hurting businesses and their employees, but also consumers as they are passed on in the form of higher prices and fewer choices. Kentucky must turn back the clock on expansion of employer civil liability. According to the most recent Institute for Legal Reform report, in 2015, Kentucky ranked 39th among the states for our legal liability climate, a lower ranking than in previous years. To stem the costly tide of an increasingly and unnecessarily litigious environment, the Chamber supports reasonable limitations on civil liability and a constitutional change that would allow the General Assembly to enact caps on awards for non-economic damages. Additionally, Kentucky businesses should be permitted to challenge state statutes or appeal the actions of a state agency by filing suit in the circuit court in the county where the business is located. These needed reforms will have a stabilizing influence on our tort system, making the state more attractive to employers and potential employers alike.