OKLAHOMA CITY -- Attorney General Drew Edmondson on Thursday urged Gov. Brad Henry to veto a contentious tort reform bill that squeaked through the House late last week.

Henry still has one day left to sign SB 507, which would place new restrictions on awards, attorney fees, expert witnesses and lay testimony in state civil litigation. SB 507 passed the House 25-22 with one Democrat in favor.

Supporters -- such as the American Insurance Association (AIA) -- have urged Henry to sign the bill. SB 507 will "reduce the number of frivolous lawsuits and therefore encourage economic development" in Oklahoma, AIA said in a statement released Monday.

But Edmondson strongly opposed the bill for making "massive changes in the way lawsuits are tried in court," he stated in a press release yesterday. SB 507 "would severely hamper the state in its litigation", Edmondson added.

The tort reform bill, which passed the state Senate earlier this year, was sponsored by Republican state Senator Cliff Branan. Among numerous other provisions, SB 507 caps non-economic damages to plaintiffs at $300,000 except under extreme circumstances.

It also allows for easier dismissal of "frivolous" lawsuits and requires expert witnesses to provide written opinions supporting a plaintiff's case within 60 days of filing suit.

Edmondson complained that this provision would have prevented the state from pursuing suits against tobacco companies and, more recently, Arkansas-based poultry producers. He also opposes removing the state's previous exemption from joint and several liability.

"When the state is a victim and is pursuing defendants to recoup losses it should not have to face roadblocks of its own making," Edmondson's release stated.

Gov. Henry must decide whether to sign or veto the bill by Monday, April 30.