Despite progress in passing tort reforms in recent sessions of the state Legislature, Floridians pay on average $1,238 per person in the form of a “tort tax” that eradicates almost 240,000 jobs annually around the state, tort reform advocates said Thursday.

During a virtual press conference, Tom Gaitens, executive director of the Florida chapter of Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, and other tort reform advocates urged Floridians not to allow any backsliding on previous reforms, including attorney fee limits and shortening the statute of limitations for filing lawsuits.

Updated numbers from the Texas-based Perryman Group indicate that excessive litigation in Florida led to a $1.4 billion loss in state revenues and a $1.2 billion loss in local revenues annually.