Tallahassee – Late last night Gov. Ron DeSantis exercised his veto power striking down Senate Bill 54, the legislature’s latest effort to pull the plug on Florida’s no-fault automobile insurance system and replace it with a requirement that drivers carry mandatory bodily injury coverage (MBI) instead. DeSantis waited just one day to reject the bill after it made it to his desk following the legislature’s passage of the bill during this spring’s annual lawmaking session. 

Tallahassee – Moments ago state legislative leaders presented to Gov. DeSantis Senate Bill 54, legislation passed by lawmakers earlier this spring that would end Florida’s No-fault automobile insurance system, replacing it with a requirement that drivers carry mandatory bodily insurance coverage (MBI) instead. This morning’s presentation triggers the constitutionally mandated 15-day period within which the governor must act. DeSantis is now faced with three options: Sign the bill into law, veto it, or allow the bill to become law without his signature when his July 13th deadline ends. How long the governor will wait to act remains to be seen, but so far this year, he has generally acted on other bills within several days of their presentation.

Contrary to flawed reporting by another group this week, Gov. DeSantis has yet to receive Senate Bill 54 on his desk triggering his 15-day window to either sign, veto, or allow the repeal of No-Fault/PIP to become law without his signature. So, it’s still not too late to voice your opposition to the Legislature’s attempt to switch from PIP to a mandatory bodily injury coverage system. 

As Gov. DeSantis still waits for the Legislature to deliver Senate Bill 54 to his desk, it’s not too late to voice your opposition to the Legislature’s recent attempt to repeal our No-fault/PIP system and hike premium rates. We understand the governor continues to give thoughtful consideration to a veto of the Legislature’s ill-conceived, last-minute scheme to flush No-fault/PIP. All he needs now is to hear it from you, your friends, your staff and your patients.

Don’t stop now!

As more and more Floridians make their voices heard in opposition to the Legislature’s recent attempt to repeal our No-fault/PIP system and hike premium rates, we hear the governor is giving serious consideration to a veto of their ill-conceived, last minute maneuver. In fact, just yesterday one of Florida’s leading news sources, the Tampa Bay Times, weighed in on the issue likewise urging Gov. DeSantis to do the right thing and veto Senate Bill 54. View their editorial here.

Time to Act!

As the Governor waits for the Legislature to hand him Senate Bill 54, now is the time to ask him to veto their ill-conceived plan to abolish Florida’s current no-fault auto insurance system when it hits his desk. We need you to help him realize what most legislators ignored: That ending no-fault will lead to dramatic premium rate increases, especially among those Floridians who can least afford it. That’s why no one supports SB 54 – except Florida’s trial lawyers.

Your phone call, e-mail – or even a hand-written snail-mail letter – will be especially powerful in helping the Governor from making a wrong turn for all of Florida’s drivers. But, we need to act now!

Tuesday, May 4, 2021, Tallahassee – State lawmakers ended their annual 60-day session on time on Friday afternoon, after casting their final vote on the one task they are mandated to complete each year: Passing a balance state budget for the next fiscal year. But shortly after giving their approval to the record $101.5-billion spending plan, they also gave a nod to a plan to end Florida’s 50-year-old no-fault automobile insurance program, replacing it with a new plan requiring Florida drivers to buy mandatory bodily injury (MBI) coverage instead.  More details appear below.

Friday, April 30, 2021, Tallahassee – Moments ago, with less than 14 hours remaining in this year’s annual legislative session, the Florida Senate voted 37-3 approving a plan (SB 54) to repeal and replace Florida’s no-fault auto insurance with a new requirement that drivers carry mandatory bodily injury coverage (MBI). The measure now goes back to the House for that chamber’s final consideration, likely to occur later today. Given that body’s 99 to 11 previous approval of the plan on April 26th, their final vote will likely assure the measure will head to the Governor’s desk for his approval or veto.