The Texas legislature has rejected SB 30, a controversial bill that would have imposed significant limitations on compensation for personal injury and wrongful death claims. Introduced in 2025, the legislation sought to cap monetary awards for victims of various incidents including car accidents, workplace injuries, and premises liability cases. The bill's failure represents a significant victory for consumer advocacy groups and a setback for tort reform proponents who had championed the measure as necessary litigation control.
SB 30 proposed strict limitations on both economic and non-economic damages, potentially restricting compensation for emotional distress, pain and suffering, and damage to reputation. Supporters argued the legislation would prevent what they characterized as excessive verdicts, but opponents successfully demonstrated that the bill would have affected all personal injury cases, not just the high-value claims that reform advocates highlighted. During committee hearings, survivors of serious injuries and sexual assaults provided compelling testimony about the importance of non-economic damages in their recovery processes.
Statistical evidence presented during legislative deliberations revealed that only 4.6% of verdicts in Texas between 2021 and 2025 exceeded $10 million, challenging the narrative of widespread nuclear verdicts that SB 30 proponents had advanced. The bill's defeat means that Texas maintains its current legal framework where injured parties can seek compensation that fully reflects both their economic losses and non-economic suffering. This outcome preserves the ability of victims to present comprehensive evidence regarding the full impact of their injuries in court proceedings.
The legislative battle over SB 30 highlighted fundamental differences in perspective between business interests and consumer protection advocates. Insurance industry representatives had strongly supported the measure as necessary for controlling costs, while plaintiff attorneys and victim advocacy groups argued it would have unfairly limited compensation for genuinely injured individuals. The bill's failure ensures that Texas courts will continue to evaluate each case based on its individual merits rather than applying blanket limitations on recovery.
For the immediate future, injured Texans retain their current rights to pursue full compensation through the legal system without artificial caps on damages. The rejection of SB 30 maintains the balance between protecting businesses from frivolous lawsuits and ensuring adequate compensation for those who suffer genuine harm due to negligence. This legislative outcome reinforces Texas's commitment to allowing juries to determine appropriate compensation based on the specific facts of each case rather than predetermined limitations.
