Florida 'Free Kill' Law Repeal: Who Had Governor DeSantis's Ear?

Background of the 'Free Kill' Law

• ⚖️ Critics refer to Florida's 35-year-old Wrongful Death Act as the 'free kill' law, arguing it unfairly blocks families from suing over deadly medical mistakes.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The law prevents lawsuits for pain and suffering if the deceased was not married and over 25 at the time of death, impacting families like Lauren Cornenko's.

Governor's Veto and Proposed Repeal

• ❌ Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that aimed to repeal the controversial law, despite it receiving overwhelming bipartisan support.
• 🏥 During the veto announcement, DeSantis was joined by doctors, hospital executives, and lobbyists who argued that repealing the law would negatively impact the healthcare system, increase malpractice claims, and insurance rates.
• 📝 A new bill has since been proposed to re-attempt the repeal of the law.

Public Records Reveal Meeting Disparities

• ✉️ Newly obtained public records show that in the weeks before the veto, DeSantis's office received nearly 7,000 letters and emails regarding the repeal, with the majority in favor of repealing the law.
• 🗓️ The governor's public calendar indicates he did not meet with any families or groups supporting the bill's repeal.
• 🤝 However, the calendar shows meetings with special interest groups who publicly opposed the repeal, including the Chamber of Commerce President Mark Wilson and the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida.

Special Interest Group Influence

• 💼 The Chamber of Commerce has historically opposed efforts to eliminate the law, though a spokesperson did not confirm if the bill was discussed in their meeting with the governor.
• 🏥 A meeting with the Safety Net Hospital Alliance was described as part of an annual thank you tour, though a lobbyist for the group mentioned the bill was brought up by the governor.

Families' Continued Fight

• 💔 For families fighting to end the law, these records are painful and hurtful, reinforcing their belief that their voices are not being heard by the governor.
• 🗣️ They express frustration that the governor does not meet with them, especially on such a significant issue affecting Floridians.

Senator's Account of Governor's Stance

• 🏛️ Senator Klay Yarro, who sponsored the repeal bill, confirmed he met with the governor.
• 💰 According to Yarro, DeSantis stated he could not support the bill without caps for damages, a condition that lawmakers rejected, leading to the governor's veto.