State's 4 disagree on legal-fee caps for environmental claims
Members of the all-Republican Arkansas congressional delegation disagreed this week about whether to place tougher limitations on attorneys fees collected as part of certain federal legal settlements.
Arkansas' U.S. Reps. Bruce Westerman and Rick Crawford supported language that would have prevented environmental attorneys from receiving more than $125 per hour for their work.
U.S. Reps. French Hill and Steve Womack opposed the restriction, which supporters tried to add to HR5063, the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2016.
HR5063 prohibits government officials from reaching settlement agreements that benefit a third party unless the third party was actually harmed by the people paying the money. It also provides for attorneys fees.
Read more: http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/sep/09/state-s-4-disagree-on-legal-fee-caps-20/?f=news-politics