HB 1028 author explains how 'a good bill died,' advises hospitals on upcoming tort reform battle

State Rep. Alan Powell wants to set the record straight. Since the final day of the 2004 Georgia General Assembly in April, he's been bothered by reports blaming House Democrats for preventing the passage of tort reform legislation. He's also frustrated by the way opponents took his own bill, HB 1028 (which would have established a state-sponsored self-insurance pool for hospitals, and physicians) modified it and killed it during the session's last day. Recently, Rep. Powell (D-23rd), who has served in the Georgia General Assembly since 1990, sat down with GHA TODAY's editor to give his perspective about the tort reform battle earlier this year while giving Georgia hospitals advice about next year's continued effort to reform Georgia's broken civil justice system. Some of Rep. Powell's comments were edited for space considerations.