Court Opinion

ID: 9585799
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:04:00.111629+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:24:15.044877
License: Public Domain

*111Hunt, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. As the majority acknowledges, the legislature may enact special laws if the classification of those affected is reasonable. Accordingly, we have consistently upheld special laws where there is reasonable justification for the law. See, e.g., Lasseter v. Ga. Public Service Comm., supra, 253 Ga. 227 (coal conversion statute applicable to particular class of power plants created reasonable classification); McAllister v. American Nat. Red Cross, 240 Ga. 246 (240 SE2d 247) (1977) (statute requiring showing of negligence in sale of blood was reasonable); C & S Nat. Bank v. Mann, 234 Ga. 884 (218 SE2d 593) (1975) (statute classifying married women whose separate estates consist of real property and/or intangible personal property differently from married women whose separate estates consist of tangible personal property); Black v. Blanchard, 227 Ga. 167 (179 SE2d 228) (1971) (statute providing exemptions for certain individuals running for office of school superintendent established reasonable classification).
It is undeniable that asbestos in buildings presents significant health and economic problems. The legislature of Georgia, like that of several other states, including Massachusetts, New York and Minnesota, chose to respond to some of these problems by enacting a statute which would lift a statute of limitation bar to asbestos-related property damage suits. I do not believe we can legitimately label this statute unreasonable, particularly in light of our duty to construe a statute as constitutional where possible. While the court may not agree with the wisdom of the statute, we are not authorized to second guess the legislature. I would hold the statute is not prohibited as a special law, and is not otherwise invalid, and would answer the certified question in the affirmative.
I am authorized to state- that Justice Bell joins in this dissent.