Summary: Wrongful death statute of limitations; criminal investigations by law enforcement; emergency. Provides that in a civil action for the wrongful death of an injured person such action may be brought by a personal representative of a decedent within two years after the death of the person or, if applicable, within two years of the conclusion of a criminal investigation by law enforcement of such death, whichever is longer. Under current law, a wrongful death action must be brought within two years of the death of the decedent. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Summary: Accrual of cause of action; diagnosis of latent injury or disease. Provides that a cause of action for a latent injury shall accrue when such injury and its causal connection to an injurious or disease-causing substance, product, or circumstance is first communicated to the injured person or his agent by a physician. The bill further provides that a diagnosis of a nonmalignant substance-related, product-related, or circumstance-related latent injury or disease shall not accrue an action based upon the subsequent diagnosis of a malignant substance-related latent injury or disease.

Summary: Wrongful death beneficiaries. Provides thatan award in a wrongful death action, where there is no survivingspouse of the decedent, children of the decedent, or children ofa deceased child of the decedent, shall be distributed to the parents,brothers and sisters of the decedent, and any other family memberwho is primarily dependent on the decedent and the same member ofthe decedent's household.

Summary: Settlement agreements; stay of dismissal. Provides that, in any case in which a plaintiff or counterclaim plaintiff is seeking a civil judgment against a defendant or counterclaim defendant, if the parties enter into a written settlement agreement, upon request of the parties, a dismissal of such case shall be stayed to allow for full compliance with such settlement agreement. The bill requires the plaintiff or counterclaim plaintiff to file a notice of dismissal with the court once the defendant or counterclaim defendant has complied with the terms of such settlement agreement, which shall be treated as a dismissal with prejudice. The bill allows the plaintiff or counterclaim plaintiff to file a motion to enforce the terms of such settlement agreement if a defendant or counterclaim defendant is in default of any term of such agreement.