June 7, 2023

The Honorable John Bel Edwards

Governor, State of Louisiana

Officer of the Governor

900 North Third St.

Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9004

Re: SB 196

Dear Governor Edwards,

On behalf of the Louisiana Motor Transport Association and the 90,000 transportation workers in the State of Louisiana that rely on trucking to earn a living, I am writing to you today with a request that you not veto SB 196. SB 196 by Senator Barrow Peacock would create the Litigation Financing Disclosure and Security Protection Act to establish transparency during the life of a lawsuit.

Eighty percent of Louisiana residents rely on truckers to have their goods delivered to their businesses and homes. Truckers were the critical piece that kept the economy moving during the pandemic, and they are the essential piece that keeps the supply chain moving today. It is a shame that such a crucial piece of the supply chain is the target of baseless lawsuits in which they must spend excessive time in the courtroom in lieu of delivering vital goods. This exposes our Louisiana truckers to Third Party Litigation Financing (TPFL) through this burdensome process.

TPLF allows hedge funds, sovereign and foreign wealth funds, and other financiers to invest in lawsuits for a portion of the profits, ultimately increasing the case's complexity and prolonging the litigation. Since funders are not required to disclose agreements, we have no scope of the control and influence these third parties have on litigation decisions and, to an extent, our civil justice system. The Litigation Financing Disclosure and Security Protection Act takes a state-level transparency approach by simply requiring disclosure of these agreements.

On behalf of the truckers in Louisiana, we ask that you not veto SB 196, which will add much-needed transparency to our civil justice system.

Thank you,

C. Renee Amar

Executive Director

Louisiana Motor Transport Association