Amid opposition from local governments, the House Budget Committee on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a proposal that could lead to cities, counties and other government agencies paying more in lawsuits over people getting injured.
The bill (HB 301), sponsored by Rep. Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, would change Florida’s sovereign-immunity laws and increase limits on government payments in lawsuits.
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Under a law passed in 2010, government agencies’ liability in such cases is capped at $200,000 for payments to a single person and $300,000 if multiple people are involved in an incident, though the caps can be exceeded if lawmakers pass a special type of measure known as a “claim” bill.
Under McFarland’s proposal, the caps would go to $1 million and $3 million, respectively, and allow government agencies to settle lawsuits for higher amounts without needing to go through the lengthy and uncertain claim-bill process.
During Thursday’s meeting, representatives of government agencies ranging from Miami-Dade County and Fort Lauderdale to rural school districts in the Panhandle said the bill would drive up costs.
“We really can’t afford this,” said Bob Harris, general counsel for the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium, which is made up of Northwest Florida districts. But supporters of the bill pointed to the limits not being increased since 2010 and said the current amounts don’t adequately compensate people for injuries caused by government agencies.
McFarland indicated she would be willing to look at other possible amounts but said the “status quo is unacceptable.”
The committee voted 15-3 to approve the bill, with opposition from Rep. Patt Maney, R-Shalimar, Rep. Toby Overdorf, R-Palm City; and Rep. John Snyder, R-Stuart. The bill would need to clear the Judiciary Committee before it could go to the full House.
