H-1084.3 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1935
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Representatives McLean, Rayburn, Ballard, Grant, Chandler, Van Luven, Edmondson, Padden, Rasmussen, R. Johnson, Holland, Wilson and Bowman.
Read first time February 15, 1991. Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Rural Development\Appropriations.
AN ACT Relating to the recovery of damages incurred by the agricultural industry; adding a new section to chapter 43.10 RCW; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature declares that whenever false or misleading statements are made by any person or entity to a national audience and these statements lead directly to the disruption of the economic well-being of a large segment of the state's citizenry, it is in the public interest to promote the recovery of compensation for the damages inflicted by those statements.
The legislature finds that the statements made by CBS Incorporated's national television program, "60 Minutes," have had a devastating economic effect on the apple industry of this state and on the communities supported by that industry. The legislature further finds that it is in the public interest to assist the apple industry in seeking the recovery of the damages which resulted from those statements, both for the immediate goal of securing equitable treatment for those in the industry and for the longer-range goal of promoting greater accuracy in the content of statements which entities provide to national audiences. The legislature further finds that: This assistance is needed because dire economic conditions in the apple industry prevent growers from mounting the kind of very expensive and complex lawsuit that is likely required to obtain compensation regarding the "60 Minutes" program; and other, similar circumstances may warrant such assistance in the future.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.10 RCW to read as follows:
The attorney general may assist in the recovery of damages incurred by the agricultural industry in this state caused by the national dissemination of untruthful or misleading information regarding the safety of consuming agricultural products if the attorney general finds that the dissemination is tortious and that such assistance is needed because of the financial inability of the injured parties to pay legal costs.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The sum of one million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the attorney general for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, for the purpose of assisting in a class action suit for recovering damages incurred by the apple industry resulting from statements made by CBS Incorporated's television program, "60 Minutes."