February 3, 2004
A Tallahassee Democrat Editorial
February 3, 2004

Thumbs Up AIF is Right to Discourage Amendments 

Associated Industries of Florida is in a good position to urge restraint in amending the constitution. While it has previously supported the Florida Medical Association's positions with regard to medical malpractice issues in the Legislature, AIF is urging the FMA to not pursue its amendment petition drive this year to limit attorneys' fees. Saying the amendment isn't likely to have any real effect on malpractice insurance rates, AIF urges letting last year's reforms kick into gear first. 

The FMA's drive has brought out three retaliatory amendments by the Florida Academy of Trial Lawyers, putting limits on prices and services and other changes that have no business in a constitution. That's not to say the proposals might not be worth consideration as state law, which can be changed as times and circumstances may demand. But they have no place in the constitution, which is virtually immutable. 

When lobbyists groups wage expensive wars in the constitution, it's bad business -and not just for the business lobby. All of us taxpayers, who underwrite the business of government, pay for expensive, overreaching, retaliatory amendments.