Gov. Ron DeSantis said he plans to veto a bill which would’ve made it easier for injured Floridians to get compensation for local government negligence.
The reason? He doesn’t want to incentivize frivolous lawsuits.
DeSantis said he’d veto the 110-page measure (HB 145) at a Tampa press conference where he signed Florida’s state budget that he said came in at about $117.6 billion, counting his line-item vetoes.
“When you raise the cap, you are going to generate more unmeritorious lawsuits,” DeSantis said, referring to a current $200,000 limit on suits against Florida governments. “I have no doubt that that would happen.”
But one of the goals of such lawsuits is to speed up getting paid for local government negligence, since many families wait for years to be paid for damages above $200,000.
Sovereign immunity protects local governments from being sued without consent. Florida law limits local governments and public bodies from paying more than the current limit; victims must convince a lawmaker to sponsor what is called a “claim bill” to get more money.
The bill was filed by Rep. Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, who sought to raise the cap to $350,000 per person and $500,000 per incident. During the regular legislative session, McFarland noted that current laws made it incredibly difficult for ordinary citizens to be compensated when the government breaks laws.
That’s why the measure would have made more people eligible to receive larger payments without the need to pursue a claim bill.
But DeSantis noted that these changes could impose further financial burdens on local governments. Currently, cities and counties are already bracing for major losses in revenue if 60% of Florida voters approve an amendment to the state’s constitution in November which would drastically reduce property taxes.
These local municipalities rely on property taxes to fuel billions in revenues, and local officials warn that major public services could be impacted, including libraries, parks and community centers.
A request for comment is pending with McFarland.
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@usatodayco.com. On X: @stephanymatat.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DeSantis says he’ll veto measure on government negligence suits
Reporting by Stephany Matat, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Stephany Matat, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
