Measure to bring transparency to private attorney contracts gets final passage, heads to governor’s desk

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 for concurrence Thursday with a vote of 57-36, sending it to the governor’s desk.

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 has 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 governor’s desk to await signature.