U.S. Chamber wants venue bill vetoed

Though it took part in the negotiations that helped craft it, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce remains sufficiently dissatisfied with legislation targeting nonresident lawsuits to seek its veto by Gov. Joe Manchin, The Associated Press reports.

But the stance puts the national business group at odds with the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, which also helped shaped the bill and supported its passage.

Also contrasting the U.S. Chamber's position are the unanimous votes that House Bill 2956 received in both the House of Delegates and the Senate during the regular session.

The bill aims to replace a 2003 law that was ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court last year.

The legislation marks the latest row between the U.S. Chamber and the Mountain State over its court system. The chamber has repeatedly attacked aspects of its civil justice system with print, broadcast and billboard ads. The chamber has ratcheted up this campaign in recent years by bankrolling a newspaper and a web site that scrutinize the state's courts (and its attorney general).

Update: Public Broadcasting also has the story, and adds that Manchin is considering a veto.