Senate Bill 0036
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 (NP) SB 36
By Senator Campbell
33-82-00
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act for the relief of Laura D. Strazza;
3 providing an appropriation to compensate her
4 for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle crash
5 resulting from negligence on the part of the
6 Department of Agriculture and Consumer
7 Services; providing an effective date.
8
9 WHEREAS, on April 25, 1996, Laura D. Strazza was riding
10 as a passenger in a motor vehicle on U.S. Highway 1 in Juno
11 Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, and
12 WHEREAS, an employee of the Florida Department of
13 Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry, was
14 operating, on and next to that highway, a large transport
15 truck that collided with the motor vehicle in which Laura D.
16 Strazza was a passenger, and
17 WHEREAS, as a consequence of this collision, Laura D.
18 Strazza sustained multiple grievous injuries such that she has
19 been unable to work, has undergone surgical procedures, and
20 needs to undergo future surgical procedures, and
21 WHEREAS, Laura D. Strazza, a single woman, brought a
22 legal action against the Department of Agriculture and
23 Consumer Services, and
24 WHEREAS, on July 13, 1999, a jury rendered a verdict in
25 favor of Laura D. Strazza, finding that the Department of
26 Agriculture and Consumer Services was partly negligent in
27 causing a motor-vehicle crash between the vehicle in which Ms.
28 Strazza was a passenger and the transport truck of the
29 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and
30 WHEREAS, the jury awarded damages in the amount of
31 $1,464,000, which, after consideration of collateral sources
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 (NP) SB 36
33-82-00
1 and comparative negligence of the driver of the vehicle in
2 which Ms. Strazza was a passenger, was reduced to
3 approximately $1,071,550, and
4 WHEREAS, after the Department of Agriculture and
5 Consumer Services pays Laura Strazza $100,000, which is the
6 maximum amount allowable under section 768.28, Florida
7 Statutes, the remainder owed under the judgment will be
8 approximately $971,550, NOW, THEREFORE,
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12 Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this
13 act are found and declared to be true.
14 Section 2. The sum of $971,550 is appropriated out of
15 funds in the State Treasury to the credit of the Department of
16 Agriculture and Consumer Services to be paid to Laura D.
17 Strazza as relief for injuries and damages sustained as a
18 result of the negligence of the Department of Agriculture and
19 Consumer Services.
20 Section 3. The Comptroller is directed to draw a
21 warrant in favor of Laura D. Strazza in the sum of $971,550
22 upon funds in the State Treasury to the credit of the
23 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services not otherwise
24 appropriated, and the Treasurer is directed to pay the same
25 out of such funds.
26 Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
27 law.
28
29
30
31
2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 (NP) SB 36
33-82-00
1 *****************************************
2 SENATE SUMMARY
3 Provides an appropriation to compensate Laura D. Strazza
for injuries and damages sustained as a result of the
4 negligence of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services.
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
3