HB 495

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to negligence; creating s. 768.0755, F.S.;
3providing that if a person slips and falls on a transitory
4foreign substance in a business establishment, the injured
5person must prove that the business establishment had
6actual or constructive knowledge of the condition and
7should have taken action to remedy it; providing that
8constructive knowledge may be proven by circumstantial
9evidence; repealing s. 768.0710, F.S., relating to the
10duty to maintain premises and the burden of proof in
11claims of negligence involving transitory foreign objects
12or substances; providing an effective date.
13
14Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
15
16     Section 1.  Section 768.0755, Florida Statutes, is created
17to read:
18     768.0755  Premises liability for transitory foreign
19substances in a business establishment.--If a person slips and
20falls on a transitory foreign substance in a business
21establishment, the injured person must prove that the business
22establishment had actual or constructive knowledge of the
23dangerous condition and should have taken action to remedy it.
24Constructive knowledge may be proven by circumstantial evidence
25showing that:
26     (1)  The dangerous condition existed for such a length of
27time that, in the exercise of ordinary care, the business
28establishment should have known of the condition; or
29     (2)  The condition occurred with regularity and was
30therefore foreseeable.
31     Section 2.  Section 768.0710, Florida Statutes, is
32repealed.
33     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.


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