Californians Want Rollback Of Costly Lawsuit Abuses: Poll

A California poll reveals a bipartisan majority of voters want the Legislature to tackle lawsuit abuses, which they blame for rising prices.

Protecting American Consumers Together, a national advocacy and educational organization, surveyed registered California voters in May. The poll found that a majority of the voters are experiencing an increase in their cost of living and believe lawsuit abuse is a key factor. Additionally, voters do not feel the Legislature is doing enough to help lower their cost of living. They say they want the state to regulate personal injury attorneys to combat lawsuit abuse.

“I think the most important part about the poll is it shows people realize lawsuit abuse is costing their family money and people want something to be done about it, specifically, more regulations,” Lauren Zelt, executive director of Protecting American Consumers Together, told The Center Square Thursday.

Of the California voters surveyed, 90% reported their cost of living has gone up. Within that group, 67% said it had gone up a lot, and 23% said it had gone up a little.

In the poll, 92% of California voters reported that their state legislators did a “poor” or “only fair” job at holding down the cost of living for California families. Of the voters, 87% of the Democratic voters and 97% of the Republican voters reported their state legislators did a “poor” or “only fair” job, according to the survey memo.