Higher Liability Limits Sought

Source: News Service Florida

After a similar proposal died this spring in the Senate, a House Republican on Friday renewed a push to pass a bill that would lead to cities, counties and other government agencies paying more in lawsuits over people getting injured. Rep. Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, filed a bill (HB 145) that would revamp the state’s sovereign-immunity laws, which help shield government agencies from costly lawsuits. 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, those limits would go to $500,000 and $1 million for injuries that occur on or after Oct. 1, 2026, and $600,000 and $1.2 million for injuries that occur on or after Oct. 1, 2031. The bill could lead to higher costs for government agencies, but McFarland has long argued that changes are needed to sovereign-immunity laws to help victims get justice for injuries. The House voted 103-11 to pass the similar bill during the 2025 legislative session, but the Senate did not take up the issue. McFarland’s new bill will be considered during the 2026 session, which will start in January.

Source: https://www.newsserviceflorida.com/latest/briefs/higher-liability-limits-sought/article_f8bb9c40-316f-4089-a5c0-1ecb134cc3b9.html

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