Florida Senate - 2006                      COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
    Bill No. SB 280
                        Barcode 942068
                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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 1           Comm: FAV             .                    
       04/18/2006 07:46 PM         .                    
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11  The Committee on Health and Human Services Appropriations
12  (Peaden) recommended the following 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.  Section 394.9085, Florida Statutes, is
19  created to read:
20         394.9085  Behavioral provider liability.--
21         (1)(a)  In any negligence action for damages for
22  personal injury or wrongful death arising out of the provision
23  of services for crisis stabilization brought against a
24  detoxification program, an addictions receiving facility, or a
25  designated public receiving facility, net economic damages
26  shall be limited to $1 million per liability claim, including,
27  but not limited to, past and future medical expenses, wage
28  loss, and loss of earning capacity. In computing net economic
29  damages, such damages shall be offset by any collateral source
30  payment paid in accordance with s. 768.76.
31         (b)  In any negligence action for damages for personal
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Florida Senate - 2006 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT Bill No. SB 280 Barcode 942068 1 injury or wrongful death arising out of the provision of 2 services for crisis stabilization brought against any 3 detoxification program, an addictions receiving facility, or a 4 designated public receiving facility, noneconomic damages 5 shall be limited to $200,000 per claim. 6 (c) Any costs in defending actions brought under this 7 section shall be assumed by the provider or its insurer. 8 (2) The limitations on liability of a detoxification 9 program, an addictions receiving facility, or any designated 10 public receiving facility as described in subsection (1) shall 11 be exclusive. Such limitations apply to each employee of the 12 provider when the employee is acting in furtherance of the 13 provider's responsibilities under its contract with the 14 department. Such limitations do not apply to a provider or 15 employee who acts in a culpably negligent manner or with 16 willful and wanton disregard or unprovoked physical aggression 17 if such acts result in injury or death. 18 (3) The eligible provider under this section must, as 19 part of its contract, obtain and maintain an insurance policy 20 providing a minimum of $1 million per claim and $3 million per 21 incident in coverage for claims described in subsection (1). 22 (4) This section does not designate a person who 23 provides contracted services to the department as an employee 24 or agent of the state for purposes of chapter 440. 25 (5) The Legislature is cognizant of the increasing 26 costs of goods and services each year and recognizes that 27 fixing a set amount of compensation actually has the effect of 28 a reduction in compensation each year. Accordingly, the 29 conditional limitations on damages in this section shall be 30 increased at the rate of 5 percent each year, prorated from 31 July 1, 2006, to the date at which damages subject to such 2 2:24 PM 04/17/06 s0280d-ha02-t01
Florida Senate - 2006 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT Bill No. SB 280 Barcode 942068 1 limitations are awarded by final judgment or settlement. 2 (6) For purposes of this section, the terms 3 "detoxification program," "addictions receiving facility," and 4 "receiving facility" have the same meanings as those provided 5 in ss. 397.311(18)(b), 397.311(18)(a), and 394.455(26), 6 respectively. 7 (7) This section does not waive sovereign immunity for 8 any governmental unit or other entity protected by sovereign 9 immunity. Section 768.28 shall continue to apply to all 10 governmental units and such entities. 11 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. 12 13 14 ================ T I T L E A M E N D M E N T =============== 15 And the title is amended as follows: 16 Delete everything before the enacting clause 17 18 and insert: 19 A bill to be entitled 20 An act relating to community behavioral health 21 agencies; creating s. 394.9085, F.S.; providing 22 that certain facilities or programs have 23 liability limits in negligence actions under 24 certain circumstances; limiting net economic 25 damages allowed per claim; requiring that 26 damages be offset by collateral source payment 27 in accordance with s. 768.76, F.S.; requiring 28 that costs to defend actions be assumed by the 29 provider or its insurer; specifying occasions 30 upon which the limitations on liability enjoyed 31 by the provider extend to the employee; 3 2:24 PM 04/17/06 s0280d-ha02-t01
Florida Senate - 2006 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT Bill No. SB 280 Barcode 942068 1 requiring that providers obtain and maintain 2 specified liability coverage; specifying that 3 persons providing contractual services to the 4 state are not considered agents or employees 5 under ch. 440, F.S.; providing for an annual 6 increase in the conditional limitations on 7 damages; providing definitions; providing 8 construction; preserving sovereign immunity for 9 governmental units and entities protected by 10 sovereign immunity; providing an effective 11 date. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 4 2:24 PM 04/17/06 s0280d-ha02-t01