Civil Justice League director: ‘Colorado’s litigation-crazed legislature continues to expand opportunities for billboard lawyers’

Mark Hillman, executive director of the Colorado Civil Justice League, said that the state's liberal legislature introduced 45 bills to expand lawsuits this session, with 26 passing. He expressed concern that these measures benefit "billboard lawyers while burdening businesses and consumers."

"Colorado's litigation-crazed legislature continues to expand opportunities for billboard lawyers and their plaintiff-clients to file lawsuits against anything that moves," said Hillman. "Still, Colorado Civil Justice League, our members and allies enjoyed measured success in a daunting political environment. In the recently-adjourned session of the Colorado General Assembly, lawmakers introduced 45 bills that created new private lawsuits or expanded liability under existing laws. Of those, 26 passed and were either signed into law by Governor Polis or are awaiting his decision to sign or veto."

In its 2025 session, the Colorado legislature introduced numerous bills expanding private rights to sue, with a significant number passing. This continues a trend of increasing legal exposure for businesses and employers. Among these is House Bill 1239, which significantly raises damages under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. According to critics, this encourages more "drive-by" lawsuits and allows up to $150,000 per visit in accessibility-related claims. House Bill 1001 expands wage claim liability and adds emotional damages while narrowing employers' ability to recover legal fees. Opponents describe this as a windfall for labor attorneys. Senate Bill 157 would have made it easier to add consumer protection claims to lawsuits but was defeated by a bipartisan coalition.

A report from the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Legal Reform highlights that lawsuit costs in the U.S. tort system are escalating, reaching $529 billion in 2022—equivalent to 2.1% of the national GDP and $4,207 per household. The average annual growth rate of tort costs has been 7.1% since 2016, with business-related cases growing at an even faster rate of 8.7%. Projections estimate these costs could exceed $900 billion by 2030.

The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) has labeled Colorado a "Lawsuit Inferno" in its latest Legislative HeatCheck report due to a surge of liability-expanding legislation passed by the state’s Democratic-controlled legislature. Despite vetoes from Governor Jared Polis on some controversial bills, lawmakers advanced several measures creating new private rights of action and dramatically increasing caps on noneconomic damages through House Bill 1472.

According to a February post on InsuranceRateReporter.com, a survey conducted by the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) and Munich Re US found that plaintiff lawyer tactics contribute significantly to rising insurance costs, impacting the U.S. economy by an estimated $529 billion.

Hillman is a Colorado native who has served as Senate Majority Leader and State Treasurer before becoming executive director of the Colorado Civil Justice League. He advocates for tort reform and an end to abusive lawsuits.