ATLANTA (WJBF) – As lawmakers gear up for week two at the Georgia State Capitol, Governor Brian Kemp made tort reform a priority this legislative session.

Tort reform pertains to an act that causes someone injury.

Governor Kemp said he wants lawmakers to update Georgia’s laws. He says they hurt small business owners, drive up insurance costs and stop the creation of new jobs.

He wants to make it more difficult to file what he calls unnecessary lawsuits and then pocket huge sums of money.  

Tort reform could change how lawsuits could be filed and how the state would add caps for damages to plaintiffs.

“One of those key pieces of legislation is when we look at the judicial system and we make adjustments to the tort laws in Georgia and how to balance the scale in that area. We have seen a runway jury verdicts in Georgia to continue to maintain to operate in the state” said Senate Majority Leader, Steve Gooch.

Some lawmakers who oppose tort reform claim it could hurt families who have lost loved ones in accidents at work and that there needs to be a solution that protects employees, not just business owners.