State lawmakers today meet for the first time since late May, finishing out the final eight to 11 session days left before a new General Assembly takes over in January.

One or more bills that cap how much juries can award for pain and suffering in lawsuits, restrict the statute of limitations on suing for defective products and limit attorney fees are a top priority for majority Republicans over the next six weeks.

A Republican sweep of three Supreme Court seats last week has some proponents calling for full speed ahead, confident that the legislation - struck down by the court in past years - can now pass constitutional muster.

But Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Green Township, a key architect of lawsuit reform, doesn't think the court will rubber-stamp what the legislature passes.

Seitz sees some problems with the reform bill passed by the Senate earlier this year. He said punitive damages are capped too low, damages for pain and suffering should be more flexible and attorney fee caps should be eliminated.

"It basically puts the government in the role of setting prices," Seitz said of attorney fee caps.

Still, Seitz is optimistic the plan will pass this year.

"I think the legislature is tired of rolling this boulder up the hill every two years," he said.

Democrats are not likely to support the bill, said House Minority Leader Chris Redfern, D-Port Clinton. He called the jury caps arbitrary and doubts they will help lower health care or business costs.

"It is very harmful to families and victims," he said.

• Lawmakers also expect to see the two-year capital budget unveiled at the end of November. Much of the money goes for renovation and construction of college campuses, public schools, prisons and mental health institutions.

State leaders estimate a maximum $90 million will be available for community projects. Cincinnati leaders, organized by the area Chamber of Commerce, submitted a list of $21.3 million worth of community projects this year.

The list includes $8 million to repay Hamilton County for stadium construction, $4.5 million for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and $4 million for expansion and renovation of Cincinnati's convention center.

Total community project requests from around the state are approaching $1 billion, a list Senate majority caucus finance director Brian Perera called "appallingly large."

Perera gave credit to the Cincinnati region for developing a reasonable wish list.

• The House is holding hearings this week on campaign finance reform.

In the summer, as controversy over campaign fund raising hung over Speaker Larry Householder and state Treasurer Joe Deters, state leaders promised to pass reforms before the end of the year.

If nothing else, the bill is expected to eliminate the ability of county parties and independent groups to raise secret donations.

"Some aspects may not get resolved," said Sen. Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green, the Senate point person on campaign finance. "But there's no question we must resolve the full-disclosure issue once and for all."

Elected leaders, including Gov. Bob Taft and Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, also have said they want to eliminate county parties' funneling donations to statewide candidates, a growing source of revenue, particularly for Republicans.

The funds have drawn criticism from those who call it legalized money laundering. Donors, they say, get around individual contribution limits by giving to county parties, which can then give to individual candidates in hefty amounts.

Redfern said Democrats want stricter limits placed on all money donated by county parties, state parties and legislative caucuses, areas that tend to give Republicans a considerable money advantage.

Redfern said he's willing to increase the individual contribution limit from the current $2,500 to $5,000 or $10,000 if all groups adhere to the limit.

E-mail jsiegel@enquirer.com