Committee advances HB 553 to align dog-bite deadlines and raise arbitration cap to $75,000

Sponsor representatives told the committee HB 553 is a technical fix to prevent dog-bite victims from losing meritorious claims because the current dog-bite provision creates a three-year statute of limitations tied to automatic statutory liability. The proposal would align dog-bite deadlines with the four-year limit that typically applies to negligence and bodily-injury claims.

Representative (co-presenters) said the shorter deadline often prevents meaningful negotiations with insurers while treatment is still ongoing; raising the deadline to four years allows treatment completion and prelitigation resolution.

HB 553 also raises the general arbitration-cap threshold from $50,000 to $75,000 to reflect inflation and rising medical costs, the sponsor said. Supporters, including the Defense Lawyers Association and the Sentencing Commission, argued the change would keep moderate-value claims in arbitration and reduce court congestion.

Dave Callas, representing the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, told the committee raising limits can lead to higher premiums because insurers factor expected future loss into pricing. He said the majority of payouts remain under the current cap, but the association opposed increasing the threshold.

Representative Stoddard moved the committee to favorably recommend HB 553. The motion carried 6–1, with Representative Wilcox recorded as the lone no vote. The bill will move to the House floor with a favorable recommendation.

Next steps: HB 553 advances to the House floor for further consideration.