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Committee advances bill to alter liability-insurance requirement for CBCs amid heated debate
Summary
CS for HB 529, which would remove a statutory liability-insurance requirement for community-based care lead agencies, was reported favorably (11–4) after proponents warned of an insurance market collapse and opponents warned the change could shift costs to taxpayers and weaken accountability.
Representative Chamberlain told the House Human Services Subcommittee that HB 529 seeks to prevent system collapse as the commercial market for professional liability insurance has shrunk and premiums and deductibles have surged. "This is not about removing accountability. It is about preventing system collapse while preserving meaningful oversight and remedies for children," Chamberlain said.
Proponents testified that CBCs and nonprofit providers face steep premium increases and carrier exits. Mark Wickham, president and CEO of Youth & Family Advocates, described a recent premium increase for his organization from $1,000,000 to $2,200,000 and said carriers required a $250,000 prepayment. Multiple CBC lead agencies and statewide coalitions urged relief to keep placements and services operational.
Opponents — including former state Children's Ombudsman Heather Rosenberg and representatives of Justice for Kids and the Florida Justice Association — argued removing statutory insurance requirements undermines protections for children, could leave taxpayers as insurer of last resort, and that the committee lacked the requested underlying market data. Rosenberg told the panel she had investigated cases where children were harmed in care and said liability insurance is essential to ensure resources are available when children are injured.
Representative Chamberlain and supporters said the proposal allows flexibility when coverage is unavailable and emphasized other oversight tools would remain in place. After debate and a sponsor close acknowledging the proposal's discomfort, the committee reported CS for HB 529 favorably by recorded vote, 11 yeas, 4 nays.
The committee record does not include new data requested by opponents; sponsors invited continued stakeholder work to refine language. The CS removes or modifies statutory language but does not eliminate the possibility that contracts or other mechanisms could require insurance.
