[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6253604,"mediaKeyId","3180204-c253536048856d1bd1d4c30dbaf77b44","parentId",3180204,"title","Senate repeals cap on non-economic damages in wrongful-death medical malpractice cases","audioSeconds",395,"startMs",9455000,"endMs",9850000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3180204-c253536048856d1bd1d4c30dbaf77b44&start=9455&end=9850","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3180204-c253536048856d1bd1d4c30dbaf77b44/thumbnail_9455000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6253604/Florida/Senate-repeals-cap-on-non-economic-damages-in-wrongful-death-medical-malpractice-cases","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253604-8ab4f1d8e5221b636e2c2587d63f7259/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186845&Signature=oK3TrOsPKFTax6YOMyr-vm4xuEURTJHqpsV90jQFznKMwAUSieOThB0uWCi-D82BTJDYRIAo4NamPAnnN4PqOsmFMwTtyl2mq16N5HSYa7P1PX1qUgrRqIBokt0XeqsTbRWiTcmVujexGMyAfSewvg7GatN6Ex9qbQip0K4f5xnUtxiD7cpX~3FOSn1w9yr~DMXp6zNbZBuEeJD6C1kXWdcVNgKiOrIeWeS8PTmqnV3MLsG3akWWRrcmPwDeoPVhO1TV8P07cUDupkMpfY4uDdVQFdMxkuRHSbdE9X2rZmNUfUzZf5EMmIIWhP~~cRiLlHUK2mO7wM8G~Z4YXWIk6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Florida State Legislature","date","2025-05-01T00:00:00Z","article","The Florida Senate on Thursday passed House Bill 6017, repealing the state statute that limited recovery of non-economic damages in wrongful-death medical negligence cases. The vote was 33 ayes to 4 nays.

Senator Jordan Yarbrough, sponsor: \"This bill repeals statute 768.218 and would allow the narrow group of survivors I described to recover non-economic damages.\" Yarbrough told the chamber the change restores a cause of action for families who lose a loved one because of medical negligence.

Supporters described the bill as correcting an injustice for families. Senator Aaron Smith said, \"you can't put a price on a life,\" arguing that victims of medical negligence deserve access to non-economic damages and that the change was about accountability for providers.

Opponents warned of consequences for malpractice insurance rates and physician supply. Senator Gail Harrell, describing intensive study and concern about premiums, said she supported victims but could not vote for the bill without limits. \"I want to vote for this bill. I really want to vote for this bill, but I cannot,\" Harrell said on the floor, citing the bill's removal of damage caps and citing local premium examples and workforce shortfalls.

During debate, Harrell cited figures for provider shortages and premiums, saying Florida already faces a shortage of primary care and specialty physicians and that malpractice insurance costs in some specialties and areas were high; she warned that removing statutory limits could increase premiums and lead some doctors to leave the state.

Other senators spoke in favor of the repeal on grounds of fairness and to provide families a legal remedy. Supporters said the group of potential additional claims would be limited and that justice for families outweighed concerns about insurance costs.

After debate the Senate recorded 33 ayes and 4 nays and the presiding officer announced that the bill passed on third reading.

What happens next: With Senate passage, the bill returns to the House for any further action required before it goes to the governor. If enacted, the repeal would permit a defined set of survivors to recover non-economic damages in wrongful-death claims tied to medical negligence; implementation could influence malpractice premiums and state health-care workforce considerations.

The debate highlighted a longstanding policy tension between access to civil remedies for injured families and concerns about malpractice insurance costs and provider availability.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate in Session 5/1/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate passed House Bill 6017 to repeal a statute that limited recovery of non-economic damages in wrongful-death medical negligence claims, after emotional floor debate and objections over potential effects on malpractice insurance and physician supply.","taxTitle","Senate, Legislative, Florida","taxId",25412,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6253609,"Senate approves tighter rules for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments after hours of debate",164,681000,845000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3180204-c253536048856d1bd1d4c30dbaf77b44&start=681&end=845","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3180204-c253536048856d1bd1d4c30dbaf77b44/thumbnail_681000.jpg","/articles/6253609/Florida/Senate-approves-tighter-rules-for-citizen-initiated-constitutional-amendments-after-hours-of-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253609-6806aba6a899db37d2da0df86886bf9a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186845&Signature=SiGQ71RcsavkynCpVqq-W~~oIcdiCtBDpvHsPkIJZ7N01l7deQxHLDMawICFgK0p9iHFrybhAeahh5Tw8YChwi4Y-6Hn3S4RFLzoWAokLNXAps7zPQkkoEcMMAoiQF1QwaVoQutl3XZgLIT1PoVYnmvsUyV9IPdZNlhgoihK6xYKL1tq5J3F8Y2Yeo4XqeQMxMRPgsdpcO7QVbadn67te3dVfmkvwPZZhP6o0mFg25pzSBbFNM2BN1p2CIvJj46~8CbdgzY~ayc0TiHRhiuV2BmN6TnAt9XUh3xCqLODu5v5vJtyvnOX3RQm8dqBCdI9szIPFuOqoxvXU2Sx7MMk2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Florida Senate on Thursday approved a bill that tightens the rules for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, advancing the measure after more than three hours of floor debate and a 28-10 vote.

Senator Aaron Gates, sponsor: \"We were asked about the 10 days, and it is 10 calendar days that someone would have in order to turn in the petitions. The division has a rule that says if that falls on a weekend, it would be the next business day.\" The bill sets a 10-calendar-day window for submitting petition forms and adds new verification and reporting requirements tied to petition circulators.

Supporters said the changes respond to documented fraud and investigative findings. The bill’s sponsors and staff cited an executive summary from the Office of Election Crimes and Security that, according to sponsors, says the number of paid circulators implicated in criminal activity \"has now grown to well over 100 affecting many thousands of Floridians.\" Sponsors also told senators that election authorities referred roughly 18 arrests, 13 pleas and four cooperation agreements tied to petition-gathering activity in 2024, and that Palm Beach County alone referred about 85 paid circulators for alleged fraud.

Opponents said the new rules will raise costs, restrict grassroots access and risk criminalizing ordinary volunteers. Senator Jessica Polsky said the bill will \"make it so hard and so expensive that only corporate interests are going to be able to ever get a citizen's initiative on the ballot.\" Several senators argued existing laws already punish forgery and criminal conduct and that supervisors of elections and statutory processes can address bad actors.

The measure includes a ban on using state funds or government communications to advocate for or against ballot initiatives; advocates of that provision said it prevents misuse of taxpayer dollars in future campaigns. Other provisions discussed on the floor would require certain circulators to register and would create administrative and criminal penalties if sponsors or paid contractors fail to meet the bill’s new eligibility and verification requirements.

Senator Rosalind Davis pressed sponsors on cost and implementation, warning the bill will impose new technological and staffing demands on the 67 supervisors of elections. \"This will require software, secure transmission systems, and additional staffing,\" she said, noting the bill does not appropriate funds for those new duties.

Senator Tyler Birmingham warned the chamber about constitutional limits, citing Article 11, Section 3 of the Florida Constitution and U.S. Supreme Court precedent protecting petition circulation as core political speech. \"This law fails that test and is clearly unconstitutional,\" Birmingham said in debate.

After closing remarks by the sponsors, the Senate recorded 28 yeas and 10 nays and the presiding officer announced the bill passed.

What happens next: Because the bill changes the threshold and process for placing constitutional amendments before voters, it now moves to the House for consideration. Supporters said the measure is aimed at preventing large-scale fraud in petition drives; opponents said it will raise costs and legal risks that will deter citizen participation.

The Senate debate included extensive references to an executive summary and investigatory materials from the Office of Election Crimes and Security; the bill itself includes new procedural and enforcement mechanisms for petition campaigns. The specific criminal and civil penalties included in the bill, and how courts will interpret the new standards, could prompt litigation if the law becomes final.","The Florida Senate voted 28-10 to pass a bill that tightens rules for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, drawing sharp debate over fraud concerns, access for grassroots campaigns and new criminal penalties for circulators.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate repeals cap on non-economic damages in wrongful-death medical malpractice cases

Senate approves tighter rules for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments after hours of debate