ENROLLED HB 0377, Engrossed 1 |
2003 Legislature |
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A bill to be entitled |
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An act relating to the Indian River County School Board; |
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providing for the relief of Taylor Rosemond, a minor, by |
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and through her parents and natural guardians, Alvin and |
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Shirley Rosemond; providing for an appropriation to |
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compensate her for injuries sustained due to the |
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negligence of the Indian River County School Board; |
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providing for the use of such funds; providing an |
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effective date. |
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WHEREAS, on January 25, 1999, 7-year-old Taylor Rosemond |
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was a passenger on a school bus owned by the Indian River County |
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School Board and operated by its employee, Deborah Colletti, and |
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WHEREAS, Deborah Colletti failed to stop at a stop sign |
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located at the intersection of 45th Street and 66th Avenue in |
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Indian River County, which failure caused the bus to collide |
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with a tractor-trailer traveling on 66th Avenue, resulting in |
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injuries to Taylor Rosemond and 15 other children and the deaths |
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of two other persons, and |
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WHEREAS, Deborah Colletti was cited with failure to obey a |
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traffic-control device and failure to yield the right-of-way, |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Taylor Rosemond was taken by ambulance to a local |
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hospital and thence airlifted to Arnold Palmer Children's |
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Hospital in Orlando, and |
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WHEREAS, Taylor Rosemond was diagnosed with a lacerated |
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kidney, bruised liver, and right renal laceration, and |
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WHEREAS, Taylor Rosemond's injuries resulting from the |
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negligence of the school bus operator have caused her bodily |
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injury and permanent pain and suffering, disability, |
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disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the |
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enjoyment of life, hospitalization expenses, nursing care |
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expenses, medical expenses, loss of earnings and capacity to |
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earn, and aggravation of previously existing conditions, and |
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WHEREAS, Taylor Rosemond's injuries have caused her parents |
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lost income, permanent loss of support and services, and |
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expenses for medical care, psychiatric care, hospitalization |
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care, and nursing care for their daughter, and |
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WHEREAS, suit was filed in Indian River County following |
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the collision, and prior to trial the case was settled in the |
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amount of $60,000, and |
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WHEREAS, the Indian River County School Board has agreed |
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not to oppose this claim bill, NOW, THEREFORE, |
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
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Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act |
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are found and declared to be true.
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Section 2. The Indian River County School Board is |
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authorized and directed to appropriate from funds of the school |
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board not otherwise appropriated and to draw a warrant in the |
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sum of $60,000, payable after July 1, 2003, to Alvin and Shirley |
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Rosemond, parents and natural guardians of Taylor Rosemond, a |
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minor, as compensation for injuries and damages sustained by |
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Taylor Rosemond due to the negligence of Indian River County. |
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Such funds are to be deposited into a guardianship account for |
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the exclusive use and benefit of Taylor Rosemond. The amount |
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payable pursuant to this section is inclusive of costs and |
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attorney's fees as limited by s. 768.28(8), Florida Statutes.
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Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |