KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Matt Blunt fulfilled a campaign promise Monday about lawsuit reform.

At St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Blunt signed into a law a reform bill intended to bring relief to doctors and health care providers.

The Republican leader said the legislation sets a new standard in efforts to prevent physicians from being forced from Missouri because of soaring medical malpractice costs. And Blunt said it ensures business owners will be able to flourish without the threat of job-killing legal awards hanging over their heads.

The bill puts a cap on the awards for non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering. It also requires lawsuits to be tried where the events occurred and limits some liability.

It took the governor less than three months to push the bill through the Legislature.

KMBC's Micheal Mahoney reported that Blunt also had to defend his $239 million in budget cuts, which includes a state program for kids who get into trouble.

"It doesn't mean it's necessarily a bad program. It does question whether or not government can afford to continue to do it the way we're doing it now," Blunt said.

Some Democrats have called cuts in social programs "immoral."

"I don't know what's moral about a tax increases on hard-working Missouri families. And if you're opposed to reducing spending in state government, that's the only option," Blunt said.

"Missouri's economy can afford additional tax revenues and that's what's needed," said state Sen. Charles Wheeler.

Blunt said programs were not cut according to merit, but because the state budget has to be cut.

The Legislature's spring recess ends Tuesday. The first thing the House Budget Committee will address is this latest round of Blunt's budget cuts.