The Florida House of Representatives passed HB 6017, a bill to repeal Florida's "Free Kill" law on March 26.
The law shielded medical providers from accountability in cases of deadly malpractice involving unmarried without dependents.
It was originally passed to help attract doctors to Florida and prevent families from suing a doctor or hospital if their loved one died of medical malpractice and they were at least 25 years old and unmarried at the time of their death.
We first exposed the law’s crushing impact on families back in 2023.
The bill is now one step closer to the governor's desk after receiving near-unanimous support in its first two committee stops and clearing the House floor. A companion bill, SB 734, championed by Sen. Clay Yarborough, also advanced through the Senate Rules Committee.
Senator Yarborough hopes repealing the law will help encourage more accountability in the healthcare industry. “No individual or institution is above accountability,” he said.
The Senate is poised to pass the bill as well, which Gov. DeSantis would then sign into law. The repeal would take effect on July 1, 2025.
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