Latest news with #SenateBill244
American Press
3 days ago
- Business
- American Press
Landry aims to address 'legacy lawsuits' against oil and gas companies
State Representative Brett F. Geymann, a Republican for District 35. (Special to the American Press) Last week, lawmakers passed legislation to address 'legacy lawsuits' against oil and gas companies over alleged environmental damage. Those attempts on Sunday came in the form of amendments to a 200-page bill that was originally only meant as a restructuring of the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources. Not every amendment on Senate Bill 244 survived, but those that did were enough to have Gov. Jeff Landry celebrating on X. 'Closing the book on legacy lawsuits means real progress and predictability for Louisiana's energy future,' Landry wrote in his post, thanking Sen. Bob Hensgens, R-Abbeville, and Rep. Jacob Landry, R-Erath. The surviving amendments will require currently pending lawsuits that seek to force oil and gas companies to pay for environmental damage to properties from their activities be adjudicated by September 2027. The Senate did not consider the bill on Monday. When Rep. Bett Geymann, R-Lake Charles, was speaking on the bill on the House floor, he admitted that he hadn't spoken with industry representatives, but understood that 'they would prefer these lawsuits be over immediately.' Geymann didn't know how right he was. 'Delaying the implementation of the SB244 amendment by 26 months only extends the opportunity for plaintiffs' attorneys to exploit the current system,' Mike Phillips, Chevron's lead trial attorney, told The Center Square. 'This extended timeline incentivizes a last-minute rush of questionable legacy lawsuits…before the new reforms take effect on September 1, 2027.' A previous bill by Landry would have made the deadline a year earlier. The amendments that didn't survive, authored by Landry himself, would have drastically changed a process known as indemnification, where one company promises to cover the costs if another company gets sued or faces damages because of something that goes wrong, like an accident or spill. Landry's amendments would have prohibited shifting the cost of cleanup to the new landowners, instead leaving it with the original owner. In April, a jury ruled Chevron to pay over $700 million in coastal damages that occurred prior to Chevron owning the land that was damaged. 'The amendments, written personally by Gov. Landry, would retroactively and prospectively prohibit indemnification in oil and gas transactions – a move that threatens to further fuel Louisiana's lawsuit abuse crisis,' the American Tort Reform Association wrote. Though Landry has been a strong supporter of the oil and gas industry, he has not hidden his support for the lawsuits. The Landry administration joined Plaquemines parish as an appellant in the ruling against Chevron. In 2021, Landry, then the state's attorney general, authorized a settlement for $100 million against Freeport-McMoRan. Last week, Landry testified that the oil and gas industry was being 'hypocritical', referring to the oil and gas industry's support of carbon capture and sequestration. 'You can't say that litigation is so bad in this state that you will not conduct activity on one side of the equation and yet in the very next moment say, 'Guess what? I need some help from you all to do the same types of activities on this side in the same litigation environment,'' Landry said. 'That is the definition of hypocrisy.'
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Taxpayers in this US State may have to foot $4.2 million of Donald Trump's legal bill — Here's why
A newly signed law in Georgia could result in Fulton County taxpayers covering the legal expenses of U.S. President Donald Trump, depending on how events unfold in the ongoing legal case against him stemming from the 2020 election. The development stems from Senate Bill 244 , signed into law this week by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. The legislation allows criminal defendants to claim reimbursement for legal costs if the prosecuting attorney is disqualified for misconduct and charges are subsequently dropped. The Law at the Center of Controversy The statute states that defendants are 'entitled to an award of all reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred' if a prosecutor is disqualified due to misconduct and the case is dismissed, as mentioned in a report by Forbes. Though not directly naming Trump, State Sen. Bradley Beach, the bill's sponsor, acknowledged the legislation was inspired in large part by the events surrounding Donald Trump's trials in Georgia. Live Events This bill arrives in the wake of a high-profile scandal involving Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who led the prosecution against Trump. Willis was removed from the case after revelations of an alleged romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, prompting questions of ethical misconduct. Trump's Legal Team Reacts Steven Sadow, Trump's lead attorney in the Georgia case, lauded the bill's passage, calling it a 'turning point in holding unethical, opportunistic and deceitful prosecutors accountable.' However, he declined to specify whether Trump will seek reimbursement or how much could be claimed under the new law. As per public financial disclosures, Trump's legal bill in the Georgia case reached approximately $4.2 million by the end of 2024. Of that, $2.7 million went to Sadow and former attorney Drew Findling, while another $1.5 million was paid to attorney Jennifer Little through his Make America Great Again PAC. Who Is Paying Trump's Legal Fees? Though Trump is a billionaire, he has so far avoided using personal funds for legal expenses. Instead, he relied on the political action committee Save America, which was bankrolled through campaign contributions. The PAC had $6.4 million in cash at the close of 2024. Since Trump's inauguration in January 2025, the fund's status remains unclear, and it has not submitted required financial disclosures. Several lawyers formerly paid through Save America now hold positions in the federal government, including Alina Habba (now U.S. Attorney), Todd Blanche (Deputy Attorney General), and Dean John Sauer (Solicitor General), as per the Forbes report. What Happens Next? While Willis has appealed her disqualification to the Georgia Supreme Court, the matter is still pending. If the court upholds her removal, the state's Prosecuting Attorneys' Council will appoint a new prosecutor. That process could take months or even years. The incoming prosecutor would have the option to continue or dismiss the case. However, for Trump to seek reimbursement, charges must be dismissed in full. Trump, who has pleaded not guilty, maintains the charges should be dropped due to his status as a sitting president. His Georgia case is now the only active one among the four Donald Trump trials, with two federal cases abandoned due to DOJ policy and a third case in New York resulting in a conviction but no penalty due to presidential immunity. Broader Implications If the charges are dismissed and Trump seeks reimbursement under Senate Bill 244, Fulton County taxpayers could find themselves paying millions in legal expenses for a president they once saw as a defendant. FAQs What is Senate Bill 244 in Georgia? Senate Bill 244 allows criminal defendants to seek reimbursement for their legal costs if the prosecutor is removed for misconduct and the case is dismissed. Could Fulton County taxpayers really end up paying Donald Trump's legal bills? Yes, if charges are dismissed and Trump successfully applies for reimbursement under the new law, Fulton County could be responsible for covering up to $4.2 million in legal fees. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Los Angeles Times
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Georgia bill would compensate the wrongfully convicted — and let Trump recover costs of election case
ATLANTA — A revived attempt to fix Georgia's inefficient system for compensating people wrongfully convicted of crimes almost died. Then it got tacked onto a bill that could compensate President Trump and more than a dozen co-defendants for attorneys' fees after they were indicted for attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The combined bill, Senate Bill 244, won final approval Friday, the last day of Georgia's legislative session. If Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signs it, it would let criminal defendants recoup attorneys' fees and related costs in cases where a prosecutor gets disqualified and the case is dismissed. It would also establish a state law requiring an administrative law judge to award $75,000 per year of incarceration to people who have been found wrongfully convicted if they prove they are innocent of the crime or any lesser offense. Georgia is one of 12 states without a law compensating people wrongfully convicted of crimes, according to an analysis by the Georgia Innocence Project. Instead, a lawmaker must sponsor a measure to compensate people and get legislative approval — a process plagued by politics that often leaves people without money, including five who tried this year. The original half of the bill has a different backstory. Trump and 18 co-defendants were indicted in Fulton County in August 2023. Fulton County Dist. Atty. Fani Willis was disqualified from the case by a state appeals court for reasons related to a romantic relationship she had with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom Willis had hired to lead the case. This is what led state Sen. Brandon Beach, a Republican, to bring forward the measure. Beach, a longtime Trump supporter whom the president recently named treasurer of the United States, has argued that the indictment was politically motivated. The measure passed the Senate 35 to 18, and by a 103-61 vote in the House, with all Republicans voting yes. The three highest-ranking Democrats in the two legislative bodies crossed over to vote yes — House Minority Leader Harold Jones II, Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Elena Parent and House Democratic Whip Kim Jackson. But many Democrats were not on board. 'I understand some people have allegiance to the president and some people voted for him, and that's their right. But do not force my constituents to pay his legal fees,' Democratic Sen. RaShaun Kemp said. Democratic Rep. Shea Roberts on Wednesday called the bill a 'disgusting display of punitive politics.' 'It puts legislators and voters in a moral straitjacket,' Roberts said. 'If you want to support justice for the wrongfully convicted, you also have to support protecting powerful politicians from accountability. That's not leadership, that's hostage-taking.' The bill's passage came the day after Republican Senate Majority Whip Randy Robertson held a four-hour committee meeting at 6 a.m. on a measure to compensate five people whose convictions were overturned after years of incarceration. By then, it was too late for that proposal to get a vote. Robertson, a former sheriff's deputy, has been the leading opponent against past measures to compensate people and to establish a law to let legal experts make that decision instead of legislators. People seeking compensation this year have had convictions overturned based on findings such as DNA evidence, legal and police errors and the discovery of new evidence indicating they did not commit the crime they were incarcerated for. But Robertson said people found wrongfully convicted aren't necessarily innocent because convictions may be overturned due to technical errors. He also had doubts about whether some of the people seeking compensation this year were innocent. Still, he said the current method is flawed, and he decided to support this year's bill to take the compensation process out of the Legislature's hand. Republican sponsor state Rep. Katie Dempsey said the bill will let the wrongfully convicted 'have a true chance that is not a retrial from legislators.' Democratic Rep. Scott Holcomb, who has championed the compensation bill for years, begged Democrats in both chambers to vote for a measure he called one of the few 'incredibly consequential' bills he worked on. 'There isn't a person alive who would trade the money that these individuals are receiving for what happened to them in terms of being locked up in our state's prisons, for usually decades of their lives, for something they didn't do,' he said Friday. Kramon writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Jeff Amy contributed to this report.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia lawmakers finally OK system to pay wrongfully convicted with Trump election case rider added
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis announced indictments against former President Donald Trump and his allies at a press conference with Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade standing to her left. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder The Georgia Senate approved a bill Friday that allows criminal defendants to recoup their legal costs if the prosecuting attorney in their case is disqualified for personal or professional misconduct, a description that recalls the Fulton County prosecutor who brought felony charges against President Donald Trump. Next stop is Gov. Brian Kemp's desk for a signature. Senate Bill 244, originally inspired by Trump's election interference case in Georgia, was later amended to revive the Wrongful Conviction Compensation Act, a stalled bill that was aimed at providing reparations to people wrongfully incarcerated. House lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have faced an uphill battle in their efforts to properly compensate those who have been wrongfully incarcerated. The process is currently done on a case-by-case basis through individual compensation resolutions that must pass through the full legislative process like any other bill. Legislation to standardize the process was initially introduced by Atlanta Democratic Rep. Scott Holcomb in 2022, and re-introduced in 2023, but his efforts have repeatedly been stalled in the Senate by Republican opposition. The version that ultimately emerged as the clock ran out on the 2025 legislative session Friday, sponsored by Alpharetta Republican Sen. Brandon Beach, secured a 35-18 vote in its second pass through the Senate, with all Republicans and the three highest-ranking Senate Democrats voting in support of the legislation. Its passage also marked a final Sine Die gavel for Beach, a staunch Trump ally who was recently appointed by the president to serve as U.S. Treasurer. If Gov. Brian Kemp signs the bill into law, it will allow criminal defendants to recoup their legal costs from county prosecuting attorneys' budgets in cases where the prosecutor is disqualified for personal or professional misconduct. (During Trump's election interference case in Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified after an appeals court judge found that her romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade created a ''significant' appearance of impropriety.') Separately, it will establish a new process under Georgia state law for people who have been convicted for crimes they did not commit and later exonerated, allowing administrative law judges to rule on wrongful conviction compensation cases and awarding a standardized rate of $75,000 for each year of incarceration to each exoneree, with an additional $25,000 added for each year spent on death row. This is the third consecutive biennium that legislators in the House have attempted to reform the system for compensating those who have been wrongfully incarcerated. However, Republican opposition in the Senate — particularly from Sen. Randy Robertson, a Cataula Republican and former law enforcement officer — has repeatedly stalled those efforts. Under current Georgia law, those who have been wrongfully convicted must find a state representative who is willing to sponsor an individual compensation resolution for them and file a claim with Georgia's Claims Advisory Board. Those resolutions then go through the full legislative process and must pass committees and floor votes in both the House and Senate before they can take effect, but those efforts too have routinely died in the Senate in recent years. Though Robertson emphasized that he was still not fully on board with the legislation aimed at compensating the wrongfully convicted, he conceded that the current system was in need of reform in a speech on the final day of the 2025 legislative session. 'What I realized is the process is not a good process,' Robertson said, but vowed to continue workshopping the wrongful conviction component of the bill after the 2025 legislative session concludes. 'I'm going to ask you today to support the Senator from the 21st and vote for this legislation, and in the off-season, we'll tackle the other thing that's attached to it and we'll come up with a process that works,' he continued, addressing his Senate colleagues. 'Support this bill, get it across, and I promise you the fight's not over.' Democrats also condemned the original language of the bill, arguing that it could have a disproportionate impact on smaller counties with more limited budgets, and discourage prosecutors from tackling complex or high-profile cases. But Rep. Scott Holcomb, an Atlanta Democrat who has championed the wrongful conviction overhaul over the past three bienniums and sponsored two previous iterations of the bill, celebrated its passage. 'This will give hope to real people whose lives were devastated and destroyed by a wrongful conviction, and it gives them a path to get some measure of compensation so they can restart their lives,' he said. 'I'm very grateful for that. This is a major legislative achievement that comes out of this session.' Though he acknowledged that there is no way to fully undo a wrongful conviction, he hopes that the new system will bring equality and efficiency to the process. 'There isn't a person alive who would trade the money that these individuals are receiving for what happened to them in terms of being locked up in our state's prisons, for usually for decades of their lives for something that they didn't do,' he said. 'This is a path to provide some remedy. It's an inadequate remedy in terms of nothing can bring back those years, but it's an adequate remedy in terms of dollars that will really help them through the remaining years of their lives.'
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia bill would compensate the wrongfully convicted and let Trump recover costs of election case
ATLANTA (AP) — A repeated attempt to fix Georgia's inefficient system for compensating people wrongfully convicted of crimes almost died. Then it got tacked onto a bill that could compensate former President Donald Trump and his codefendants for attorneys' fees after they were indicted for attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia. The combined bill, Senate Bill 244, won final approval Friday, the last day of Georgia's legislative session. If Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signs the bill, it would let criminal defendants recoup attorneys' fees in cases where a prosecutor gets disqualified and the case is dismissed. It would also establish a state law requiring an administrative law judge to award $75,000 per year of incarceration to people who have been found wrongfully convicted if they prove they are innocent of the crime or any lesser offense. Georgia is one of 12 states without a law compensating people wrongfully convicted of crimes, according to an analysis by the Georgia Innocence Project. Instead, a lawmaker must sponsor a measure to compensate people and get legislative approval — a process plagued by politics that often leaves people without money, including five who tried this year. The original half of the bill has a different backstory. Trump and 18 codefendants were indicted in Fulton County in August 2023. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified from the case by a state appeals court based on a romantic relationship she had with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom Willis hired to lead the case. This is what led state Sen. Brandon Beach, an Alpharetta Republican, to bring forward the measure. He was recently named treasurer of the United States by Trump after years of vociferous support for the president. 'Punitive politics' The measure passed the Senate 35-18 with all Republicans voting yes. The three highest-ranking Democrats crossed over to vote yes -- House Minority Leader Harold Jones II of Augusta House Democratic Caucus Chair Sen. Elena Parent of Atlanta and House Democratic Whip Kim Jackson of Stone Mountain. But many Democrats were not on board. 'I understand some people have allegiance to the president and some people voted for him, and that's their right. But do not force my constituents to pay his legal fees," Atlanta Democrat state Sen. RaShaun Kemp said. Atlanta Democrat state Rep. Shea Roberts on Wednesday called the bill a 'disgusting display of punitive politics.' The bill passed 103-61 in the House. 'It puts legislators and voters in a moral straitjacket,' Roberts said. 'If you want to support justice for the wrongfully convicted, you also have to support protecting powerful politicians from accountability. That's not leadership, that's hostage-taking.' A long-standing push The bill's passage came the day after Republican Senate Majority Whip Randy Robertson held a four hour committee meeting at 6 a.m. on a measure to compensate five people whose convictions were overturned after years of incarceration. By then, it was too late for that proposal to get a vote. Robertson, a former sheriff's deputy, has been the lead opponent against past measures to compensate people and to establish a law to let legal experts make that decision instead of legislators. People seeking compensation this year have had convictions overturned based on findings such as DNA evidence, legal and police errors and the discovery of new evidence indicating they did not commit the crime they were incarcerated for. But Robertson said people set free due to wrongful convictions aren't necessarily innocent because convictions may be overturned due to technical errors. He also had doubts about whether some of the people seeking compensation this year were innocent. Still, he said the current method is flawed, and he decided to support this year's bill to take the compensation process out of the legislature's hand. Republican sponsor state Rep. Katie Dempsey of Rome said the bill will let the wrongfully convicted "have a true chance, that is not a retrial from legislators.' Democratic Rep. Scott Holcomb, who has championed the wrongful compensation bill for years, begged Democrats in both chambers to vote for a measure he called one of the few 'incredibly consequential' bills he worked on. 'There isn't a person alive who would trade the money that these individuals are receiving for what happened to them in terms of being locked up in our state's prisons, for usually decades of their lives, for something they didn't do," he said Friday. —— Associated Press reporter Jeff Amy contributed. ___ Charlotte Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon.
