FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 14, 2023
Contact:
Allison North Jones
ajones@myfja.org
(850) 322-6701
See below for a statement from FJA President Curry Pajcic regarding the proposed legislation announced by Governor Ron DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, and Speaker Paul Renner today.
“Florida is under attack. The rights of every Floridian are under assault by insurance companies and corporate elites who think they can dictate which rights should be preserved and which can be tossed aside.”
“We cannot allow big insurance or multi-million dollar corporations like Patriot Transportation, who joined Governor DeSantis and legislative leaders at today’s press conference, to dictate our rights and block the courthouse doors.”
“The right to trial by JURY, not trial by government, is a right that our Founding Fathers fought and died for. They knew the rich and the powerful would try to use the government to take these rights from us again. They created the Bill of Rights, specifically enumerating the rights we hold inviolate that the government cannot ever take away from us again. This includes the 7th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees the right to trial by jury in civil cases.”
“If the corporate elites are empowered to grab away our right to trial by jury, which right will they feel entitled to take next? Will they grab our guns? Our right to free speech? Empowering the rich and powerful is not what this country was founded on and not something any of us should stand for.”
“Our nation was founded on the principles of a free and fair government that allows access to the courts for every citizen, and not only for the elite few.”
“What is fair about telling a family of eight whose home was destroyed by Hurricane Michael that their insurance company should be allowed to underpay their claim, preventing them from rebuilding the family home that was fully insured?”
“What is fair about telling the mother of a child killed at the hands of a reckless driver that there is no way to hold the driver responsible for the reckless actions that left her childless?”
“Justice is the only thing preventing the insurance industry from taking over our state, limiting our freedom, and irreparably decimating the rights of our neighbors, family, and friends. The FJA opposes any legislation that takes away the rights of Floridians to hold others responsible and accountable when they harm you or your family.
“We hope Florida lawmakers will look closely at what they are being asked to do with this legislation and choose to protect Floridians’ rights and keep Florida free.”
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