This is the time of year when trial lawyers and business interests attempt to bribe -- I mean lobby -- state legislators in order to game the system -- I mean carefully enact legislation affecting important issues of public policy.
So far the business interests are winning:
Though it's still early in the nine-week session, lawmakers and lobbyists are focusing attention on three bills -- the attorney fee caps on state cases, the slip and fall protections and another measure to restore a parent's right to sign a negligence waiver for a child -- that are considered most likely to pass this year.The momentum shift is putting the trial lawyers on the defensive.
Even a measure the group is backing to allow larger judgments in lawsuits against the state and local governments met ardent opposition in a House committee Tuesday morning.
The bill (HB1107) would have increased the sovereign immunity caps for damages against government entities from $100,000 to $250,000 with total claims from one incident capped at $1 million.
But the House Civil Justice and Courts Policy Committee dissolved into chaos as opponents crafted hand-written amendments to substantially weaken the bill, lowering the caps to $200,000 and $400,000 in the aggregate.
Later in the day, the House considered the litigation caps and slip and fall legislation with only moderate opposition from Democrats.
My personal favorite so far is the bill that would outlaw asking prospective adoptive parents whether they own any firearms:
The adoption legislation in the Senate and House Thursday would prohibit adoption agencies from asking prospective parents whether they own firearms or ammunition, an NRA-friendly move that comes in a year when many Republican lawmakers are seeking reelection or election to higher office.
Only in Florida, kids.
