HB 1305 Summary: Florida Fair Claims Act

• Renames section 768.28 the "Florida Fair Claims Act" and revises sovereign immunity waivers for tort claims against state agencies and political subdivisions.

• Raises damage caps for insured/self-insured political subdivisions from $200,000/$300,000 per person/incident to $1 million/$1.5 million, with annual adjustments based on Consumer Price Index.

• Requires judges to determine damages separately from jury liability findings; mandates future damages be paid into trusts (medical damages in special needs trust, other damages distributed annually).

• Allows political subdivisions that maintain required insurance coverage ($5-10 million per person, $7.5-15 million per incident) to avoid claim bills; requires insurers to pay policy limits without legislative action.

• Imposes new restrictions on claim bill lobbyists, including mandatory disclosure to legislative leadership and prohibitions on representing conflicting clients without written consent; applies contingency fee exemption to claim bills.