Florida Senate - 2005                      COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
    Bill No. SB 1974
                        Barcode 743242
                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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11  The Committee on Judiciary (Posey) recommended the following
12  amendment:
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14         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 
15         Delete everything after the enacting clause
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17  and insert:  
18         Section 1.  The Legislature finds that current law
19  inadequately addresses rights of action related to prenatal
20  deaths resulting from negligent acts in other than medical or
21  criminal situations.
22         Section 2.  Section 768.38, Florida Statutes, is
23  created to read:
24         768.38  Right of action for prenatal death caused by
25  negligence of another.--
26         (1)  In any lawsuit filed in this state under current
27  law, where medical negligence as defined in s. 766.106(1) is
28  not at issue and without expanding or restricting current law
29  with regard to medical negligence, when it is alleged that a
30  pregnancy was wrongfully ended by the negligence of another
31  person or entity, the trier of fact may consider the following
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    8:14 AM   04/20/05                             s1974d-ju24-t9u

Florida Senate - 2005 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT Bill No. SB 1974 Barcode 743242 1 evidence in evaluating a claim for damages for the mental pain 2 and suffering of the parents: 3 (a) Characteristics of the unborn fetus, including, 4 but not limited to, the sex and the name chosen before the 5 pregnancy was negligently terminated; and 6 (b) The circumstances surrounding the loss of the 7 pregnancy. 8 (2) The fetus may be referred to as a son or daughter, 9 as a child, or by its chosen name. 10 Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a 11 law and applies to all actions in which the stillbirth occurs 12 after the effective date of the act. 13 14 15 ================ T I T L E A M E N D M E N T =============== 16 And the title is amended as follows: 17 Delete everything before the enacting clause 18 19 and insert: 20 A bill to be entitled 21 An act relating to a cause of action for 22 prenatal death caused by negligence; creating 23 s. 768.38, F.S.; providing for the 24 admissibility of certain evidence in evaluating 25 a claim for damages for the mental pain and 26 suffering of the parents in an action alleging 27 that a pregnancy was wrongfully ended by the 28 negligence of another; providing findings and 29 intent; providing an effective date. 30 31 2 8:14 AM 04/20/05 s1974d-ju24-t9u