Sovereign Immunity of Public Transit Contractors in Tort Actions

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the implications for existing legal cases or what happens if a contractor is not following rules set by their contract with the state.

Public Transit Contractors and Sovereign Immunity

This bill changes Florida's laws to treat public transit contractors and their workers as agents of the state when it comes to certain legal protections.

What This Bill Does

• Adds a new part to an existing law about how the government can be sued for damages.
• Defines people who work for companies that provide public transportation services under contract with the state or its agencies as agents of the state.
• States that these contractors and their workers are considered agents of the state when they follow rules set by the contracts or laws.

Who It Names or Affects

• Public transit contractors who work with the state or its agencies
• Employees, agents, and subcontractors of public transit contractors

Terms To Know

Sovereign Immunity

A legal protection that stops the government from being sued without its permission.

Tort Actions

Legal cases where someone sues another person or company for causing harm or loss.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if a contractor is not following the rules set by their contract with the state.
• It's unclear how this change will affect current legal cases involving public transit contractors.

Official Summary Text

Sovereign Immunity of Public Transit Contractors in Tort Actions; Designates certain public transit contractors & people acting on behalf of such contractors as agents of state for purposes of provisions relating to sovereign immunity in tort actions; defines "public transit."

Current Bill Text

HB 581 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb581-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to sovereign immunity of public 2
transit contractors in tort actions; amending s. 3
768.28, F.S.; designating certain public transit 4
contractors and people acting on behalf of such 5
contractors as agents of the state for purposes of 6
provisions relating to sovereign immunity in tort 7
actions; defining the term "public transit"; providing 8
an effective date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
12
Section 1. Paragraph (m) is added to subsection (10) of 13
section 768.28, Florida Statutes, to read: 14
768.28 Waiver of sovereign immunity in tort actions; 15
recovery limits; civil liability for damages caused during a 16
riot; limitation on attorney fees; statute of limitations; 17
exclusions; indemnification; risk management programs.— 18
(10) 19
(m) For purposes of this section, a contractor providing 20
public transit services under a contract with the state or any 21
of its agencies or subdivisions, or any employee, agent, or 22
subcontractor of such contractor, is considered an agent of the 23
state while acting within the scope of and pursuant to 24
guidelines established in said contract or by rule. The term 25

HB 581 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb581-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

"public transit" has the same meaning as in s. 341.031(1). 26
Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 27