Florida Senate - 2026                                    SB 1208
       
       
        
       By Senator Rodriguez
       
       
       
       
       
       40-00682-26                                           20261208__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to sovereign immunity of county
    3         constitutional officers in tort actions; amending s.
    4         768.28, F.S.; expanding the definition of the term
    5         “state agencies or subdivisions” to include county
    6         constitutional officers for purposes of provisions
    7         relating to the waiver of sovereign immunity in tort
    8         actions; providing an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Subsection (2) of section 768.28, Florida
   13  Statutes, is amended to read:
   14         768.28 Waiver of sovereign immunity in tort actions;
   15  recovery limits; civil liability for damages caused during a
   16  riot; limitation on attorney fees; statute of limitations;
   17  exclusions; indemnification; risk management programs.—
   18         (2) As used in this act, “state agencies or subdivisions”
   19  include the executive departments, the Legislature, the judicial
   20  branch (including public defenders), county constitutional
   21  officers, and the independent establishments of the state,
   22  including state university boards of trustees; counties and
   23  municipalities; and corporations primarily acting as
   24  instrumentalities or agencies of the state, counties, or
   25  municipalities, including the Florida Space Authority.
   26         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.