50-50
Chance Special Session C
Will Conclude with
Med Mal Reform
Says King
July
17,
2003
Prospects
for an early resolution of the medical-liability crisis remain dim.
Special Session C had been extended until Monday evening, but enough
disagreements remain to suggest that Governor Jeb Bush will have
to call Special Session D, probably sometime in August. The governor
is scheduled to leave for California
this evening, and some legislative leaders have travel plans that
would take them out of the state next week.
Late last night Senate
President Jim King (R-Jacksonville) released what he called “a Senate
proposal that we will attempt to pass.”
The degree to which
this proposal mirrors the work of the negotiators is unclear. Senator
King did state in the letter that he was not suggesting that
the proposal enjoyed the endorsement of the House.
The outline seems to
reflect substantive compromise on the part of the Senate, although
the actual extent of that compromise will be difficult to gauge
until bill language is available for study.
Senator King just concluded
a press conference, accompanied by Senators Dennis Jones (R-Seminole),
Tom Lee (R-Brandon), and Rod Smith (D-Gainesville), in which he
said that he has not spoken to Governor Jeb Bush or House Speaker
Johnnie Byrd (R-Plant City) about the Senate’s new legislative proposal
for medical-liability reform. Senator King did say that he has spoken
to Lt. Governor Toni Jennings and that the House leadership is now
reviewing the proposal.
Senator King said he
would not bring the bill before his chamber until the governor has
indicated his approval of its framework. King did say that there
was a 50-50 chance that it will fly with governor.
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