FLORIDA — Newly obtained public records reveal Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met with special interest groups opposing a bill to repeal Florida's Wrongful Death Act in the weeks before his veto, while families supporting the legislation say they were ignored.
In May, Florida families told us how they desperately sought meetings with Governor DeSantis to discuss the Wrongful Death Act. Critics often refer to the 35-year-old law as the "Free Kill" law.
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The Wrongful Death Act prevents certain families from suing for pain and suffering in cases of alleged medical malpractice if the family member was not married and, at least, 25 years old at the time of their death.
Since 2022, Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone has reported on issues with the law and family efforts to get it off the books.
"We've requested meetings with him, but to no avail," one family member told us shortly before the governor’s veto.
"We have not even received a response to our requests for a meeting,” said another.
In the last session, a bill to abolish the law received overwhelming bipartisan support in the legislature. However, DeSantis vetoed the measure during a televised press conference at a hospital in Florida. During the press conference, he was flanked by doctors, hospital executives, and lobbyists who have long argued that repealing the law would increase medical malpractice claims and insurance rates.
"This bill would have negative impacts across our healthcare system," DeSantis said.
Five months later, public records obtained through a record request show DeSantis' office received nearly 7,000 letters and emails about the legislation and potential veto. The majority came from people pleading with the governor not to veto the bill.
Lauren Korniyenko was among those who wrote to the governor. She lost her mother to what she believes was a medical mistake but she’s unable sue for pain and suffering because her mother wasn't married and was over 25 at the time of her death.
"Signing HB 6017 would reaffirm your commitment to life, to families, and to our constitutional rights," Korniyenko wrote to the governor in May.
Korniyenko said she also requested a meeting with DeSantis but was only able to have a brief encounter with his chief of staff.
"It was very clear from the conversation that they were not in receive mode in talking with us. The decision had already been made," she said.
Sabrina Davis has fought to end the law since 2020, when her father died from what she believes was medical negligence. She told us how she’s tried to meet with the governor for years.
"I would say, going on five years, that I've been asking for a meeting with no success," Davis said.
The governor's public calendar between January and the end of May shows DeSantis didn't meet with a single family or group that supported the bill. However, his calendar reveals that he did meet with special interest groups who have a history of opposing the legislation to eliminate the state’s Wrongful Death Act.
On March 31, just days after House lawmakers approved the full repeal, DeSantis met with Chamber of Commerce President Mark Wilson. The Chamber has opposed efforts to eliminate the law for years.
A Chamber spokesperson wouldn't confirm if the bill was discussed and only stated in an email that Wilson "regularly meets with the Governor" and other leads. The spokesperson added, "those discussions will remain between Mark and those leaders."
Then, in late April, about 10 days before the bill received final legislative approval, DeSantis' calendar shows he met with the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida, which advocates on behalf of more than a dozen public hospitals statewide.
According to a spokesperson, the meeting was part of an annual "thank you" tour.
Mark Delegal with The Doctor's Company, an insurer for physicians, has lobbied for both the Chamber and Safety Net. He said the Wrongful Death Act bill came up during Safety Net’s discussions with the governor, but it was the governor who brought it up he said.
"I know the governor was watching this bill carefully," Delegal said. "Now that it's seeping back into my mind, I did hear that he brought it up."
Safety Net's spokesperson said the group never officially opposed the bill and no one from the organization requested a veto.
Last month, a new bill to repeal the law was filed in the House by Republican lawmaker Dana Trabulsy of St. Lucie County. A bill has yet to be filed in the Senate.
But for families still fighting to end Florida's Wrongful Death Act, these recently obtained records may be just a snapshot of who the Governor met with, but they confirm their suspicions about who seems to have the best chance of getting access to the governor.
"It's painful, it's hurtful," Davis said. "We are the people of Florida. We are the ones who vote him in office, and the least he could do is talk to the families, especially about such a big bill."
The governor's office didn't respond to requests for comment about our findings and whether Governor DeSantis met with families or other groups who supported the bill before he vetoed it.
Republican Senator Clay Yarborough, who sponsored the bill to repeal the law confirmed to Reporter LaGrone that he met with the governor about two weeks before the Senate voted to approve the bill.
Yarborough said the governor told him he couldn't support the legislation without damage caps. Lawmakers rejected those caps, and DeSantis rejected the bill.
This story was reported on-air by Katie LaGrone and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Katie, along with our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Katie LaGrone focuses on making sure Florida’s laws actually work and her investigations have gotten results. If you know of a policy or law that’s not working how it’s intended, send Katie a message below.
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