Bill Would Expand Litigation, Risk Returning State to ‘Judicial Hellhole’
The American Tort Reform Association submitted a letter today calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto H.B. 6017, warning that the bill would roll back Florida’s hard-won civil justice reforms and risk a return to the state’s former Judicial Hellhole® status.
“For years, Florida struggled under the weight of excessive litigation, earning the unfortunate distinction of Judicial Hellhole® and driving up costs for families, businesses, and health care providers,” said Tiger Joyce, ATRA’s President. “Thanks to bold leadership from Gov. DeSantis and the legislature, Florida made historic progress in 2023 to restore balance and fairness to its civil justice system. H.B. 6017 would undo much of that work by drastically expanding the scope of damages available in wrongful death medical negligence cases.”
H.B. 6017 would reverse key protections in Florida’s Wrongful Death Act by expanding noneconomic damages in medical negligence cases, or compensation for intangible loss such as pain and suffering. The bill removes long-standing limits that prevent children over age 25 and parents of children over age 25 from recovering such pain-and-suffering damages in these lawsuits.
“Gov. DeSantis and legislators delivered transformative reforms in 2023 that restored fairness and balance to Florida’s courts,” Joyce said. “Undoing these protections would invite a surge of lawsuits, threaten access to care, and undermine the very progress that moved Florida off the Judicial Hellholes® list.”
ATRA and others warn that this change, particularly without reasonable limits, would open the door to more litigation, result in higher medical malpractice insurance costs, and ultimately increase health care costs for all Floridians.
“Florida’s success story shows that smart, balanced reforms can protect consumers, strengthen the economy, and ensure access to quality health care,” Joyce said. “We urge Gov. DeSantis to keep Florida on the path of progress – not backslide into a Judicial Hellhole® – and veto H.B. 6017.”
