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Kentucky House GOP and Beshear Clash on Attorney Fees

LRC Public Information

Republican lawmakers in Kentucky want to limit how much money outside attorneys hired by the state can earn in complex cases, a move Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear says would have the state sending rookies to battle against the pros. 

Beshear’s office will sometimes hire outside attorneys to help with large cases. Those attorneys don't get paid unless they win the lawsuit. They take a percentage from the settlement or judgment.

House Bill 281 would cap how much those outside attorneys could earn depending on how much money the state recovered, but no fee would exceed $10 million.

Bill sponsor Representative Jason Nemes said it would save taxpayers money. But Beshear said it would hinder his ability to take on multinational corporations, including drug and oil companies.

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