Senator Plowman Appointed to the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Civil Justice Task Force

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARCH 13, 2007

AUGUSTA – Senator Debra Plowman, of Hampden, has been appointed to the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Civil Justice Task Force. She and Senator Paula Benoit, of Phippsburg, will serve as the Maine delegation on the Task Force, which includes legislators and private sector representatives from all over the country.

As a member of the Task Force, Sen. Plowman will play a major role in developing policy ideas that will encourage fairness and predictability in the civil justice system. In the past, the Civil Justice Task Force has promote systematic fairness in the courts through bills to discourage frivolous lawsuits, to fairly balance judicial and legislative authority, and to treat defendants in a consistent manner.

Specific areas the Civil Justice Task Force address include class action reform, health plan liability, rights to appeal and separation of powers. The Task Force develops model legislation to facilitate the implementation of these policies in the states and educates other American Legislative Exchange Council members through Task Force meetings, issue briefings, and special workshops throughout the country.

Sen. Plowman is pleased with her appointment to the Civil Justice Task Force. “Working with legislators from all across the country provides each of the Task Force’s members with a great opportunity to make progressing in protecting the rights of our citizens and strengthening the Civil Justice system in the Unites States,” she said. “Getting together to discuss which policies have been successful, or have failed, in other states will allow the Task Force to develop some quality proposals that will achieve our goals of a fair and predictable Civil Justice system, and I am looking forward to playing my part in this effort.”

Sen. Plowman represents District 33, which includes Carmel, Charleston, Corinna, Corinth, Dexter, Dixmont, Etna, Exeter, Garland, Glenburn, Hampden, Kenduskeag, Levant, Newburgh, Newport, Plymouth and Stetson. She can be reached in Augusta at 287-1505, in Hampden at 862-4506, or by e-mail at debraplowman@cs.com

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