Mark Hillman, executive director of the Colorado Civil Justice League, said on May 15 that recent legislation passed by the Colorado General Assembly has expanded opportunities for lawsuits, increasing operational costs for businesses and contributing to higher costs paid by drivers and homeowners.
Hillman made his comments in a column published on the Colorado Civil Justice League website reviewing the recently concluded legislative session. Lawmakers introduced 45 bills that would create new private rights of action or expand liability under existing laws. Of those, 26 were passed and signed or are awaiting action by the governor. The column examines specific measures, including changes to the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act and wage claim rules that increase financial incentives for plaintiff attorneys, according to the Colorado Civil Justice League.
“Colorado’s litigation-crazed legislature continues to expand opportunities for billboard lawyers and their plaintiff-clients to file lawsuits against anything that moves. … This bill amounts to little more than creating a bundle of new financial incentives for labor lawyers to bring lawsuits while nullifying the remaining legal provisions that discourage frivolous lawsuits. The lawsuit factories that file these claims often offer to settle for $15,000 with no regard for whether the obstacle to accessibility is resolved,” Hillman said in his column on the Colorado Civil Justice League website.
Full coverage auto insurance costs the average Colorado driver $3,203 per year, according to recent state data. This rate exceeds costs in every neighboring state and ranks among the highest in the nation. Colorado has experienced some of the fastest-rising insurance premiums in the country since 2020, with litigation costs and expanded liability identified as key contributing factors that are passed through to policyholders. These elevated rates affect families, businesses, and the overall cost of living across the state, according to Bankrate.
The Colorado legislature has consistently introduced and passed bills that expand private rights of action and liability exposure for businesses and property owners. In the most recent session, 26 such measures became law, adding to a cumulative body of statutes that encourage more frequent and higher-value claims. This pattern has contributed to higher insurance payouts and legal expenses that insurers factor into premium calculations for auto and property coverage throughout Colorado. The result is increased costs borne by drivers and homeowners who rely on affordable insurance, according to a column published by Hillman on the Colorado Civil Justice League website.
Hillman previously served as Colorado Senate Majority Leader and State Treasurer. He now serves as executive director of the Colorado Civil Justice League, where he advocates for civil justice reforms aimed at reducing excessive litigation and improving insurance affordability for residents and businesses in Colorado. His work focuses on practical statutory changes intended to balance protections against practices that inflate costs with support for legitimately injured parties seeking redress, according to information from the organization.
