SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- A new report says if Illinois wants to attract and keep businesses, it needs to lose its reputation for having an open door to out-of-state attorneys bringing big litigation cases.

A Harris poll that ranks states on their lawsuit climate, including unfair litigation and large verdicts, has ranked Illinois near the bottom. Curt Mercadante, with the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, said these big cases clog up the courts for local residents who may need them.

He added Illinois doesn't need another reason for residents or businesses to leave, because the state is facing major financial problems.

"Certainly it can't afford to have businesses looking at the state and wincing when they consider coming there,” Mercadante said. “And so any time a state can do something to improve the ability to attract new businesses, it means jobs."

Illinois has been ranked among the bottom five states for the last 10 years.

According to the 2017 Lawsuit Climate Survey, 85 percent of senior company attorneys and other executives said a state's lawsuit environment is likely to impact important business decisions at their company - including where to locate or expand.

Mercadante said Illinois struggles to keep businesses from choosing to set up shop in some of its neighboring states, such as Indiana.

"What these executives are saying is legal climate is clearly, absolutely one of those factors that we look at,” he said. "And so all things being equal, you look at Indiana and you look at Illinois, the legal climate is something that clearly tilts in the favor of locating, or expanding, in Indiana."

Mercadante said nearly 30 percent of all asbestos lawsuits in the entire country are filed in Madison County, and more than six-in-ten of Cook County's cases are from out of state.

"Plaintiffs' attorneys from around the country know that these are very friendly jurisdictions in terms of friendly to the plaintiff's attorney,” Mercadante said. “And so they bring all their lawsuits to Cook and Madison counties and taxpayers are footing the bill - largely supporting out-of-state plaintiffs."

According to the report, South Dakota ranked first for having laws in place that keep out-of-state attorneys from clogging up local courts with lawsuits. Missouri and Louisiana were the only states scoring worse than Illinois.


get more stories like this via email

Tariffs are disrupting supply chains from China, making it harder for reusable alternatives to compete with single-use plastics.

Jeffrey Delkin, president of Bambu, an Oregon-based company which has been making plastic-free home goods for 20 years, said the Trump administration's 145% tariffs forced the company to lay off their staff in China and make their U.S. staff part-time. Though Chinese tariffs will now drop to 30% for 90 days, Delkin noted it is still a huge jump from the usual 3.5%.

He fears the tariff roller coaster threatens the company's future as well as the market for plastic alternatives.

"Unfortunately, this is a time where we need more small, right-minded, responsibly operated businesses," Delkin contended. "The current conditions are not helping."

Data show even before the trade war, plastic products faced much lower tariffs than their alternatives. This keeps plastic prices low and makes it harder for alternatives to compete. Delkin added since the oil industry receives large government subsidies, plastic producers are better able to absorb extra costs.

Research shows plastics contain harmful chemicals which leech into food, water and the environment. Emissions created during plastic production also contribute to climate change.

Delkin pointed out the public is still learning about the effects of microplastics on overall health, adding more than 90% of plastic produced ends up in landfills.

"It's that kind of stark reality that encouraged us to do what we do and to really promote renewable materials," Delkin explained.

The plastic market continues to grow despite its harmful effects. In 2020, about 370 million tons of plastic were traded, valued at $1.2 trillion.


get more stories like this via email

A new tool aims to equip Oregonians with the knowledge they need to take control of their personal data and protect their privacy online.

Oregon Consumer Justice created the guide after the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act took effect last summer, empowering residents to control how businesses collect and use their personal data. The guide explained how to request records of collected and sold personal information.

Malena Lechon-Galdos, program coordinator for the Portland-based nonprofit suma, which helped work on the guide, said most people do not understand how much of their data, from internet search histories to social security numbers, is being collected, bought and sold.

"The internet is a tool that everyone at this point needs to utilize, even if it's getting basic resources," Lechon-Galdos pointed out. "How can we do it in a way that is safe?"

The guide includes step-by-step instructions on how to opt out of targeted advertising and stop the sale of personal data.

Cookies, explained Lechon-Galdos, help websites track the personal information people enter, as well as users' locations. All the information is bought and sold by data brokers to create personalized advertisements. Information can also be purchased by federal agencies and used in investigations, Lechon-Galdos added, which has raised concerns about warrantless surveillance.

"What we want the community to know is there are risks here," Lechon-Galdos stressed. "Here is how to mitigate some of these risks so you can feel more knowledgeable, more in control."

The new tool addresses barriers to digital rights awareness, Lechon-Galdos noted, including complex jargon and limited tech access. Oregon Consumer Justice said it hopes the information will help build a network of informed data privacy advocates.


get more stories like this via email

West Virginia coal miners filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to temporarily halt the Trump administration's layoffs impacting the Coal Workers Health Surveillance Program.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health houses the program, which offers the screenings free of charge.

Travis Parsons, director of occupational safety and health for the Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America and a native West Virginian, said a majority, some 80% to 90% of workers at the program, have now lost their jobs.

"We always lean on NIOSH for research," Parsons noted. "Any time we had a new OSHA rule, we leaned on them for their expertise and to create a safer workplace."

The class action lawsuit against the federal government was filed on behalf of miners by Appalachian Mountain Advocates, Mountain State Justice and Petsonk Labor and Employment Law. Modern changes in mining technology have allowed miners to dig deeper into rock, increasing their exposure to silica dust, which has driven up rates of black lung disease, according to the American Journal of Managed Care.

Parsons added the program NIOSH has unique tasks and expertise which cannot be easily transferred to other agencies.

"They're the only agency in the country that certified respirators and tested respirators," Parsons pointed out.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates around 20% of coal miners in Central Appalachia have been diagnosed with black lung disease.


get more stories like this via email