Measure to bring transparency to private attorney contracts passes out of the House

A bill to bring more accountability and transparency to taxpayer dollars by capping the amount of contingency fees collected by private attorneys for government work passed through the House Thursday with a 52-40 vote.

Rep. Jason Nemes, the sponsor of House Bill 198, said in a speech on the floor the bill would simply ensure the hiring of outside counsel by the state’s attorney general is necessary for a case and change the fee structure and add more transparency to guarantee taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.

Nemes stated the bill is not an attack on the office of the attorney general but rather adds accountability and improves the state’s legal liability climate.

House Bill 198 now moves to the Senate for a vote in committee.