SB 54 sought to end the requirement that Floridians purchase $10,000 in personal injury protection coverage and would instead require mandatory bodily injury coverage. Yesterday the bill was vetoed by Governor DeSantis. “While the PIP system has flaws and Florida law regarding bad faith is deficient … SB 54 does not adequately address the current issues facing Florida drivers and may have unintended consequences that would negatively impact both the market and consumers,” DeSantis wrote in his veto letter.
Although the bill was popular in both chambers, the legislation faced opposition from several lawmakers, who argued the bill would increase the insurance rates on the poorest Floridians, possibly by half. DeSantis’ veto Tuesday means lawmakers will have to go back to the drawing board if they want to rework Florida’s auto insurance laws.