1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to civil action; regulating the apportionment 
  1.3             of joint and several liability; amending Minnesota 
  1.4             Statutes 1998, section 604.02, subdivision 1. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 604.02, 
  1.7   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  When two or more persons are jointly 
  1.9   liable, contributions to awards shall be in proportion to the 
  1.10  percentage of fault attributable to each, except that ~~each is~~ a 
  1.11  person whose fault is 40 percent or greater is jointly and 
  1.12  severally liable for the whole award.  ~~Except in cases where~~ 
  1.13  ~~liability arises under chapters 18B - pesticide control, 115 -~~ 
  1.14  ~~water pollution control, 115A - waste management, 115B -~~ 
  1.15  ~~environmental response and liability, 115C - leaking underground~~ 
  1.16  ~~storage tanks, and 299J - pipeline safety, public nuisance law~~ 
  1.17  ~~for damage to the environment or the public health, any other~~ 
  1.18  ~~environmental or public health law, or any environmental or~~ 
  1.19  ~~public health ordinance or program of a municipality as defined~~ 
  1.20  ~~in section 466.01, a person whose fault is 15 percent or less is~~ 
  1.21  ~~liable for a percentage of the whole award no greater than four~~ 
  1.22  ~~times the percentage of fault, including any amount reallocated~~ 
  1.23  ~~to that person under subdivision 2.~~ 
  1.24     ~~If the state or a municipality as defined in section 466.01~~ 
  1.25  ~~is jointly liable, and its fault is less than 35 percent, it is~~ 
  2.1   ~~jointly and severally liable for a percentage of the whole award~~ 
  2.2   ~~no greater than twice the amount of fault, including any amount~~ 
  2.3   ~~reallocated to the state or municipality under subdivision 2.~~ 
  2.4      Sec. 2.  [APPLICATION.] 
  2.5      Section 1 applies to claims arising from events that occur 
  2.6   on or after August 1, 1999.