The Ohio Senate may vote as early as Friday on legislation that will cap awards in medical malpractice lawsuits. The tort reform bill, which is expected to pass, will limit future pain and suffering awards in malpractice cases at $300,000. Ohio Governor Bob Taft, who has been pushing for medical malpractice legislation for months, is expected to sign the bill by the end of the year.

Advocates of the bill allege multimillion-dollar verdicts in the state have caused insurance premiums to soar, leading many physicians to leave Ohio or discontinue their practice. Critics, however, say medical malpractice insurance carriers have raised premiums to cover their losses caused by bad investments over the last few years. Mississippi Governor Ronnie Musgrove and Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn signed similar tort reform bills earlier this year.