ATLANTA, GA — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s top priority is headed to his desk for his signature.

The state Senate gives final passage to a plan to limit lawsuits in Georgia during a Friday vote.

“We have a great bill here, in my opinion,” Kemp said in a hastily called news conference Friday afternoon at the State Capitol. “If it wasn’t something that I thought needed to be done on behalf of our people, to make our state better and keep us the number one state for business and the best place to live, work, and raise our families. I wouldn’t have tackled such a tough issue.”

The legislation marks the first overhaul of the state’s civil litigation rules in more than a decade, and it touches on a myriad of issues.

The bill limits the ability of people to sue business owners for incidents that happen on their property, prevents attorneys from collecting fees on the same case twice, and limits some special damages for medical care.

Proponents have said the legislation will help bring down crushing insurance rates for businesses, but opponents say that claim lacks evidence.

Opponents have expressed concern that the bill limits crime victims’ ability to get justice.

“When their access to the courthouse doors has been foreclosed, they will know there was only two people to blame in this situation: this Republican legislature and this Republican governor,” said Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones.

The sweeping measure takes effect upon Kemp’s signature.

This is a developing story.