Senate Bill sb0076

    Florida Senate - 2001        (NP)                        SB 76

    By Senator Campbell





    33-65-01

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to Martin County; providing for

  3         the relief of Margaret B. Helm for injuries and

  4         damages caused by the negligence of the Martin

  5         County Volunteer Fire Department; specifying

  6         the use of funds appropriated; providing an

  7         effective date.

  8

  9         WHEREAS, on March 21, 1999, Veronica Pochopin was

10  driving at or near County Road 707 (Dixie Highway) at Jenson

11  Beach in Martin County, Florida, when an intoxicated bicyclist

12  rode into the path of her motor vehicle and was struck by Mrs.

13  Pochopin, and

14         WHEREAS, Margaret B. Helm, a passing motorist, stopped

15  to assist Mrs. Pochopin, and

16         WHEREAS, Margaret B. Helm, Mrs. Pochopin, and Mrs.

17  Pochopin's husband, who was a passenger in the vehicle, were

18  sitting behind the damaged vehicle while Margaret B. Helm was

19  attempting to care for Mrs. Pochopin, and

20         WHEREAS, while the Martin County volunteer firefighters

21  were attempting to extricate the body of the intoxicated

22  bicyclist from the front seat of the damaged vehicle, where it

23  had landed after coming through the windshield, the vehicle

24  went into reverse running over Margaret B. Helm, and

25         WHEREAS, as a result of this incident, Margaret B. Helm

26  is now a paraplegic and is expected to remain so for the rest

27  of her life, and

28         WHEREAS, Margaret B. Helm and Martin County have

29  entered into a settlement agreement that requires Martin

30  County to pay, pursuant to a claim bill enacted by the

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2001        (NP)                        SB 76
    33-65-01




  1  Legislature, the sum of $2,250,000, with $500,000 of this sum

  2  to be paid in the form of an annuity, and

  3         WHEREAS, the payment will not involve any tax increase

  4  in Martin County for the sole purpose of paying the amounts

  5  agreed to in the settlement agreement, NOW, THEREFORE,

  6

  7  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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  9         Section 1.  The facts stated in the preamble of this

10  act are found and declared to be true.

11         Section 2.  Martin County is directed to compensate

12  Margaret B. Helm for injuries and damages caused by the

13  negligence of the Martin County Volunteer Fire Department in

14  the amount of $2,250,000, consisting of a lump-sum payment of

15  $1,750,000 and $500,000 in the form of an annuity.

16         Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

17  law.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.