FORT MYERS, Fla.—Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced his veto of House Bill 6017, which would repeal a law that limits medical malpractice lawsuits and restrains costs for Floridians seeking medical services.
Governor DeSantis has made clear that any approach to medical negligence reform must include proper safeguards and reasonable caps to prevent abuse by predatory attorneys. This bill lacks those adequate safeguards, such as caps on non-economic damages and attorney’s fees.
This veto action aligns with the monumental successes the DeSantis administration has achieved in reforming Florida’s tortious landscape.
In his veto letter, Governor DeSantis writes:
Dear Speaker Perez:
By the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Florida, under the provisions of Article III, Section 8 of the Florida Constitution, I do hereby veto and transmit my objection to House Bill 6017, enacted during the 127th Session of the Legislature of Florida during the Regular Session of 2025 and entitled:
An act relating to Recovery of Damages for Medical Negligence Resulting in Death
Amidst our rapidly growing and aging population, Florida has been diligent in meeting this demand by attracting top healthcare providers and in maintaining the affordability and availability of healthcare.
HB 6017 would repeal a decades-long reform enacted during a time of medical malpractice crisis. In response to the growing public need for quality and affordable medical care, the reform placed limits on medical malpractice lawsuits by surviving adult family members to recover non-economic damages. Repealing this reform is not likely to deter physicians from engaging in malpractice – but instead will impose costs on Floridians.
HB 6017 does not include safeguards like caps on damages and attorney’s fees. This legislation would increase costs to provide healthcare services to Floridians, especially in our rural and aging communities, expose Florida’s physicians and healthcare providers to unpredictable liability, drive physicians to leave the state, and incentivize lawyers to bring umneritorious claims. None of this improves quality, access, or outcomes for Florida families.
Even without this bill, current law provides several mechanisms, including a regulatory framework, to hold bad actors accountable and recover damages when a family chooses to pursue a wrongful death claim
An acceptable bill would include regulatory measures that further deter physicians from engaging in malpractice and ensure swift accountability. Any approach to medical negligence reform without including proper safeguards is a risk for Floridians because it would make the legal landscape ripe for predatory trial attorneys.
I encourage any future legislative action to include regulatory reforms and these safeguards, striking a balance between providing relief and accountability, while preserving quality access and care for Floridians.
For these reasons, I withhold my approval of HB 6017 and do hereby veto the same.