All Eyes on Governor Desantis - Florida's “Free Kill” Repeal: A Battle Between the People and Special Interests

Florida's “Free Kill” Repeal: A Battle Between the People and Special Interests

Florida is on the brink of rewriting one of its most controversial laws—and the journey here has been anything but smooth.

📢 Call to Action: Contact Governor DeSantis Today

We are asking everyone to politely contact Governor DeSantis' office

request that he allow HB 6017 to become law.

🗣 The message is clear: Please do not veto HB 6017. Let the bill pass. Families deserve justice.

📧 Email: GovernorRon.DeSantis@eog.myflorida.com 📞 Phone: (850) 717-937

Earlier this session, House Bill 6017, aimed at repealing Florida’s so-called Free Kill law, passed the full House with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill seeks to eliminate legal loopholes that currently prevent parents of adult children—and adult children of deceased parents—from seeking justice when medical malpractice leads to death.

Its companion bill, Senate Bill 734, appeared to be on a similar fast track. It cleared all three Senate committees without opposition. But just as it approached the finish line, politics got in the way.

The Eleventh-Hour Curveball

In a surprise move, Senator Gayle Harrell introduced an amendment to SB 734 that would have added damage caps, limiting the amount families could recover. This move directly contradicted the will of the people and the clean version of the bill that had already been agreed upon.

Advocates, families, and grassroots organizations rose up fast. The public outcry was immediate and loud—and it worked. Harrell withdrew her amendment, a major victory for citizen advocacy.

A Second Attempt to Water Down the Bill

Just when it seemed the clean repeal was back on track, Senator Clay Yarborough, the bill’s own sponsor, added a second amendment. This one proposed even higher caps, undermining the very essence of the repeal effort. The Senate debated and voted down Yarborough’s amendment, refusing to compromise justice for families.

Then, in a stunning twist, Yarborough tabled his own bill. A move that shocked many and signaled intense pressure from behind the scenes—likely from medical malpractice and insurance lobbyists known for influencing Tallahassee politics.

Senator Pizzo’s Challenge - A Mic Drop Moment

With the repeal once again at risk, Senator Jason Pizzo stepped up and challenged the Rules Committee to follow its own procedures. He urged them to do what was right: hear the clean bill, without manipulative amendments.

And it worked.

SB 734 was finally heard—and passed.

All Eyes on Governor DeSantis

Now, the future of this long-overdue reform lies in the hands of Governor Ron DeSantis.

Will he listen to the people who have spent years demanding justice for families failed by a broken law?Or will he bow to the influence of special interest groups that benefit from keeping the "Free Kill" loophole alive?

We’re watching. And we’re waiting.

The people have spoken. The House and Senate have spoken. Now it’s time to see what matters most to Governor DeSantis—the will of Floridians or the weight of lobbyists.

📢 Call to Action: Contact Governor DeSantis Today

We are asking everyone to politely contact Governor DeSantis' office and request that he allow HB 6017 to become law.

🗣 The message is clear:Please do not vet HB 6017. Let the bill pass. Families deserve justice.

📧 Email: GovernorRon.DeSantis@eog.myflorida.com 📞 Phone: (850) 717-937