Florida Senate Panel Votes to Toughen Malpractice Law

A bill that would make it even harder to pursue medical malpractice claims in Florida has cleared a Senate panel.

The Senate Judiciary committee voted up the bill (SB 7030) by a vote of 6-3 on Monday.

It would require that expert witnesses called against a defendant doctor practice the exact same kind of medicine and not just be in “similar” fields.

The measure also would allow the defendant’s attorney to talk to other health care providers and get private medical information without permission from the patient. It also lets them speak to them without the other side’s lawyers present.

Sen. Arthenia Joyner was one of those opposing the bill. The Tampa Democrat said the bill was just another attempt “to impede citizens’ access to the courts.”