House Bill hb0823

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 823

        By Representative Fields






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the City of Clearwater;

  3         providing for the relief of Eva Skowronek as

  4         the widow of Wieslaw Skowronek and as Personal

  5         Representative of the Estate of Wieslaw

  6         Skowronek and for the relief of Anna Marie

  7         Skowronek, Victor Skowronek, and Hubert

  8         Alexander Skowronek, minor children of Wieslaw

  9         Skowronek; authorizing and directing the City

10         of Clearwater to compensate them for the death

11         of Wieslaw Skowronek as a result of the

12         negligence of the City of Clearwater; providing

13         an effective date.

14

15         WHEREAS, on Sunday, January 19, 1997, Wieslaw Skowronek

16  was visiting the Virgin Mary apparition at the Seminole

17  Finance Building in Clearwater, Florida, and

18         WHEREAS, as a result of the use of excessive force by a

19  City of Clearwater policeman, Wieslaw Skowronek's pancreas was

20  ruptured and he bled to death, and

21         WHEREAS, the death of Wieslaw Skowronek was clearly the

22  consequence of the negligence of the city, and

23         WHEREAS, the City of Clearwater and Eva Skowronek

24  entered into a settlement agreement in which the city agreed

25  to a settlement in the amount of $525,000, of which the city

26  would pay $200,000, Ranger Insurance Company would pay

27  $125,000, and a claim bill would be submitted for the

28  remaining $200,000, and

29         WHEREAS, the City of Clearwater has paid $200,000, the

30  maximum amount allowable under section 768.28, Florida

31  Statutes, and the insurance company has paid $125,000, and

                                  1

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






    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 823

    760-105-01






  1         WHEREAS, after payment of attorneys' fees and costs,

  2  the court awarded the sum of $103,896 to Eva Skowronek, and

  3  the sum of $27,965 to be paid to the guardianship account

  4  established for Anna Marie Skowronek, the sum of $27,965 to be

  5  paid to the guardianship account established for Victor

  6  Skowronek, and the sum of $27,965 to be paid to the

  7  guardianship account established for Hubert Alexander

  8  Skowronek, in accordance with sections 732.102 and 732.103,

  9  Florida Statutes, which govern the distribution of estate

10  assets for intestate heirs, NOW, THEREFORE,

11

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

13

14         Section 1.  The facts stated in the preamble to this

15  act are found and declared to be true.

16         Section 2.  The City of Clearwater is authorized and

17  directed to appropriate from funds of the city not otherwise

18  appropriated and to draw a warrant in the sum of $103,896

19  payable to Eva Skowronek, widow and Personal Representative of

20  the Estate of Wieslaw Skowronek, as compensation for injuries

21  and damages sustained.

22         Section 3.  The City of Clearwater is authorized and

23  directed to appropriate from funds of the city not otherwise

24  appropriated and to draw a warrant in the sum of $27,965

25  payable to the guardianship account established for Anna Marie

26  Skowronek, daughter of Wieslaw Skowronek, as compensation for

27  injuries and damages sustained.

28         Section 4.  The City of Clearwater is authorized and

29  directed to appropriate from funds of the city not otherwise

30  appropriated and to draw a warrant in the sum of $27,965

31  payable to the guardianship account established for Victor

                                  2

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






    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 823

    760-105-01






  1  Skowronek, minor child of Wieslaw Skowronek, as compensation

  2  for injuries and damages sustained.

  3         Section 5.  The City of Clearwater is authorized and

  4  directed to appropriate from funds of the city not otherwise

  5  appropriated and to draw a warrant in the sum of $27,965

  6  payable to the guardianship account established for Hubert

  7  Alexander Skowronek, minor child of Wieslaw Skowronek, as

  8  compensation for injuries and damages sustained.

  9         Section 6.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

10  law.

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  3

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