⚖️ 2025 Legislative Recap: HB 6017 and SB 734 — The Battle for Medical Accountability and Ending Florida Free Kill

HB 6017 and SB 734 - The 2025 Legislative Session

Ending The Florida Free Kill Law, 7th Consecutive Year

of Legislation in Session

(Never. Ever. Ever. Ever. Give up.)

Florida’s 2025 legislative session brought us closer than ever to repealing the state’s long-criticized “Free Kill” law—but in the end, it also exposed just how deep the resistance to justice still runs in Tallahassee. At the end of the day, for Governor Ron DeSantis, this fight was never about equal rights for grieving families. It was about protecting the deep pockets of the insurance industry.

🏛 The House Took the Lead and The Senate Also Passed the Bill

It was the Florida House that led the charge. HB 6017 moved steadily through every committee, with families traveling from all corners of the state and across the country to testify and stand in solidarity. Many shared their stories—grief-stricken, courageous, and clear. The message was consistent: this law must be repealed. The demand for equal due process and accountability of lost loved ones was clearly spoken by the voice of the people.

The Senate followed suit, advancing SB 734 through all its committees. On May 1, 2025, the votes were historic:

• House Vote: 104 Yeas, 6 Nays

• Senate Vote: 33 Yeas, 4 Nays

The people spoke. The legislature listened. Yet here we are with a Veto from Governor DeSantis. So why did this happen?

⚠️ The Bigger Threat: Statewide Malpractice Caps

Let’s be absolutely clear: damage caps have already been ruled unconstitutional in Florida. And yet, lawmakers aligned with industry interests are now trying to bring them back through legislative sleight of hand.

First, Senator Harrell introduced a $500,000 cap. Then Senator Yarborough proposed $1 million. But neither number reflects the actual cost of justice.

They were presenting the amendments as though they were capping free kill victims, but in fact the amendments applied state wide to all medical malpractice causing injury and/or death across the board.

Lawsuit reality:

• Bringing a malpractice case often requires $100,000+ in upfront costs for expert witnesses, file reviews, and court expenses.

• Attorney fees typically claim 33% of the award.

• And the remainder is all the victim has—for a lifetime of injury, pain, and disability.

These caps would also apply to individuals who survive but are permanently and profoundly injured. Imagine a case where a surgeon accidentally amputates the wrong leg—rare, but tragically real. That patient would receive just a fraction of the capped amount after expenses and legal fees—nowhere near what’s needed to cover rehabilitation, prosthetics, lost income, and lifelong care. In essence, the caps punish the most vulnerable.

Worse, the way this was handled exposed the truth: this wasn’t about reform. It was about quiet protection for powerful interests. No stakeholder meetings. No expert testimony. Just last-minute amendments dropped in with no warning—first by Harrell, then by Yarborough—both trying to sneak caps through the back door. Both were backed by Passidomo and others who passed the bill through the senate committee strictly to try and sneak in caps at the last moment.

To them it is a game. Like Monopoly on steroids, affecting their real bank accounts in the form of campaign contributions. To Floridians, this is our lives. We couldn't be on more opposite sides of the fence from these legislators who have been elected by the people to represent the people's best interests.

Floridians deserve better. These aren’t reforms. They’re shields for negligence. Caps don’t protect patients—they protect profits.

As many frustrated constituents have said: if you want to understand what’s really happening, don’t just listen to their words—Follow. The. Money. Or better yet, visit FollowTheMoney.org.

🏛️ Senator Pizzo Upholds Senate Rules

After the failed amendment, Senator Yarborough tabled his own bill, effectively halting its progress. This move left the legislation in limbo, causing concern among advocates and legislators alike.

Recognizing the urgency, Senator Jason Pizzo took a stand. He challenged the Rules Committee to adhere to its own procedures, emphasizing that when an amendment fails, the bill should proceed without it. His insistence on following the established rules was pivotal in bringing the bill back to the floor.

Thanks to Senator Pizzo's intervention, SB 734 was finally heard—and passed. His actions ensured that the legislative process remained transparent and that the will of the people was respected.

(Yes, you read it correctly. The Rules Committee broke the rules, effectively cheating, and Senator Jason Pizzo called them out.)

🏛 HB 6017 and SB 734: The Votes

These bills were about restoring the right to sue when an adult family member dies due to medical malpractice—something that should be a fundamental right. And in 2025, it finally felt like change was within reach.

Floridians from every corner of the state came forward—families who had been silenced for years by the Free Kill law. They showed up in Tallahassee. They waited hours to speak in committee hearings. They shared the worst day of their lives so that others might be spared the same injustice.

The public showed up. The votes followed:

• House Vote: 104–6

• Senate Vote: 33–4

It was a sweeping bipartisan victory for due process and dignity.

In Honor of Cameron Perritt

Before understanding why DeSantis Vetoed HB 6017 - Here is The Back Story of Special Interest Group "Big Insurance" and The Money

📜 Back in the 2021 Session: SB 54 and the Fraud That Followed

To understand what just happened with HB 6017 and SB 734, you have to go back to 2021, when the Florida legislature passed SB 54, a major bipartisan bill to repeal the state’s no-fault auto insurance system. The goal was to curb fraudulent claims, improve transparency, and give Floridians access to more just and equitable compensation after accidents.

The bill passed overwhelmingly:

• 100–16 in the House

• 37–3 in the Senate

But Governor DeSantis vetoed it, claiming it would raise insurance premiums—a claim widely disputed by consumer advocates and independent analysts. His veto shocked many and raised immediate red flags.

That veto ultimately sparked a deeper investigation.

🕵️ The Insurance Industry Investigation Perez Pushed Forward

Following the SB 54 veto, then-House Rules Chair Daniel Perez requested an official investigation through the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR). The resulting 2022 report—kept under wraps until 2023—revealed something stunning: insurance companies had transferred billions of dollars to affiliated entities while claiming financial losses.

Some insurers paid out massive shareholder dividends while reporting that they were on the brink of collapse.

This wasn’t just mismanagement. It was strategic deception—meant to squeeze the legislature for regulatory breaks and legal shields, all while Florida homeowners and policyholders paid the price.

And the Governor? He did not speak out against the fraud. Instead, he signed a $2 billion taxpayer-financed bailout for the very same insurers exposed in the report.

💰 Follow the Money: DeSantis and the Insurance Industry

The connection between Governor DeSantis and Big Insurance is not speculation—it’s documented:

• Since 2019, DeSantis and his affiliated political committees have officially received nearly $10 million in campaign donations from insurance industry donors contributing $5,000 or more.

• On a single day, State Farm agents donated over $150,000 to his campaign—while State Farm opposed legislative reforms aimed at lowering rates.

• Property insurers Heritage Insurance and People’s Trust Insurance donated $125,000 to DeSantis’s 2023 inauguration celebration—after benefiting directly from his $2 billion bailout plan.

This isn’t about reform. It’s about reward. The same lobbyists representing these insurance companies, also represented attempts to kill SB 734, HB 6017 and every single free kill bill we have had in legislation since 2017. These are the lobbyists serving up the "pay to play" model for corporate America to influence legislation with campaign contributions.

🚫 A Veto—And an Insult

But before the bill even reached his desk, Governor DeSantis held a press conference where he announced his intent to veto the bill. In doing so, he used the phrase “jackpot justice”—a term that minimized and mocked the trauma of grieving families.

Let’s be clear: no one is hoping their loved one dies in a way that makes them rich. These families aren’t seeking jackpots. They’re seeking dignity, accountability, and the (due process) right to stand in court when something goes terribly wrong. Suggesting otherwise isn’t just dismissive—it’s deeply offensive to every Floridian who’s ever lost someone to medical negligence and been told they don’t count.

The Governor went further, stating that “there isn’t enough justice to go around.” That’s not leadership. That’s surrender. And it’s simply not true. In fact, if hospital and insurance corporations were forced to invest in better staffing and safety practices, we speculate they would save more money than they would lose by allowing the end of the free kill law.

The veto of HB 6017 didn’t just block justice for grieving families—it opened the door to something even more dangerous: a full-scale, on the down low, effort to cap medical malpractice damages for every Floridian, regardless of injury, age, or circumstance.

In the same breath he vetoed this bipartisan bill, Governor DeSantis floated a sweeping proposal to impose caps on all malpractice claims statewide. This isn’t just about so-called “Free Kill” cases anymore—it’s about gutting accountability across the entire healthcare system.

💬 Momentum Builds for an Override

In the wake of the veto, calls for a legislative override have grown louder. With both chambers having passed the bill by well over the required two-thirds threshold, the path is legally possible.

Two House members—Rep. Lopez and Rep. Trabulsy—have publicly supported an override. But there’s been no indication from House Speaker Daniel Perez or Senate President Ben Albritton that leadership will move in that direction.

Advocates are watching. The public is speaking. The legislature has the power to act—and the people are urging them to use it.

🛑 What Happens Next

The choice now lies with the legislature. They can either let the veto stand—or they can prove that justice isn’t scarce, and it’s not just for the privileged few. What we are hearing is that the legislature will not override the veto. But we have to keep asking, and take the chance that our collective words and outcry could make a difference.

Ask your representatives:

• Will you request an override of the veto of HB 6017?

• Will you oppose unconstitutional damage caps that would strip Floridians of their rights across the board?

The more Senators and Representatives the better. The key decision makers who have to request the over ride are House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton. This isn’t just about one category of people anymore.This is about whether anyone in Florida can expect accountability from those entrusted with our lives.

Let’s not go backward. Let’s not accept a system where loss is ignored and negligence goes unchecked.

The time to act is now. Please sign our letter asking for the override at www.FloridaFreeKill.org

🏛️ Florida House of Representatives - Vote Record

On May 1, 2025, the Florida House passed HB 6017 with a vote of 104 Yeas to 6 Nays. The full roll call, including individual legislator votes, is available on LegiScan:LegiScan+1LegiScan+1

🔗 LegiScan Roll Call for HB 6017

🏛️ Florida Senate - Vote Record

On May 1, 2025, the Florida Senate passed HB 6017 with a vote of 33 Yeas to 4 Nays, with one senator not voting. The detailed voting record can be found in the official Senate vote document:Florida Senate

🔗 Florida Senate Roll Call for HB 6017

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Melody Sandberg-McDonald, Founder & Consultant | State Legislative Strategist | Grassroots Advocate | Government Relations Advisor | melody@melody-mcdonald.com