Senate Bill sb0006c1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2002 CS for SB 6
By the Committee on Finance and Taxation; and Senator Campbell
314-2051-02
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 she sustained as a result of the
5 negligence of an employee of the Department of
6 Agriculture and Consumer Services; providing an
7 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. 1 in Juno Beach,
11 Palm Beach County, and
12 WHEREAS, an employee of the Department of Agriculture
13 and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry, was operating, on
14 and next to that highway, a large transport truck that
15 collided with the motor vehicle in which Laura D. Strazza was
16 a passenger, and
17 WHEREAS, as a consequence of this motor-vehicle crash,
18 Laura D. Strazza sustained multiple grievous injuries such
19 that she has been unable to work, has undergone surgical
20 procedures, and needs to undergo future surgical procedures,
21 and
22 WHEREAS, a legal action was brought by Laura Strazza, a
23 single woman, against the Department of Agriculture and
24 Consumer Services, and
25 WHEREAS, on July 13, 1999, a jury rendered a verdict in
26 favor of Laura D. Strazza, finding that the Department of
27 Agriculture and Consumer Services was partly negligent in
28 causing a motor-vehicle crash between the vehicle in which Ms.
29 Strazza was riding as a passenger and the department's
30 transport truck, and
31
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2002 CS for SB 6
314-2051-02
1 WHEREAS, the jury rendered damages in the amount of
2 $1,464,000, and, after reduction for collateral sources and
3 comparative negligence of the driver of the vehicle in which
4 Ms. Strazza was riding, a Final Judgment in the amount of
5 $944,829 and a Cost Judgment in the amount of $32,490.62, both
6 bearing interest at the statutory rate of 10 percent per year,
7 were entered against the Department of Agriculture and
8 Consumer Services, and
9 WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
10 Services has paid Laura Strazza $100,000, the maximum amount
11 allowable under section 768.28, Florida Statutes, and the
12 remainder owed under the judgment will be $877,319.62, plus
13 $5,002.60 in additional costs, for a total amount of
14 $882,322.22, NOW, THEREFORE,
15
16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18 Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this
19 act are found and declared to be true.
20 Section 2. There is appropriated from the General
21 Revenue Fund to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
22 Services the sum of $882,322.22 for the relief of Laura D.
23 Strazza for injuries and damages sustained by her.
24 Section 3. The Comptroller is directed to draw a
25 warrant in favor of Laura D. Strazza in the amount of
26 $882,322.22, upon funds of the Department of Agriculture and
27 Consumer Services in the State Treasury, and the State
28 Treasurer is directed to pay the same out of such funds in the
29 State Treasury.
30 Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
31 law.
2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2002 CS for SB 6
314-2051-02
1 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
2 SB 6
3
4 The Committee Substitute changes the dollar amount of the
claim from $877,319.62 to $883,322.22 to reflect additional
5 costs and strikes any claim for accrued interest.
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
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.