Gov. DeSantis signs bill to pay $4.1 million to Miami-Dade man who lost leg when he was hit by Metrobus

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Wednesday to pay $4.1 million to a Miami-Dade County man who lost a leg in 2021 when he was hit by a county bus.

Known as a claims bill, the measure is tied to a legal concept called "sovereign immunity," which caps payouts from state and local government agencies in lawsuits. To receive money above the caps, an injured person must get the Legislature to pass a claims bill to collect the full amount, even if they were awarded a large sum by the courts.

The bill DeSantis signed (SB 14) is directed towards Jose Correa, who was hit by a county bus driven by an off-duty driver on December 16, 2021.

Correa was walking along a crosswalk at an intersection when a bus driver made a left turn and hit him. Correa suffered injuries that included requiring amputation of a leg below the knee, according to the bill.

Correa filed a lawsuit against the county and reached a $4.3 million settlement. Under the sovereign immunity law, the county paid $200,000 but needs legislative direction to pay the remaining $4.1 million.

The bill was among 19 DeSantis signed Wednesday.

Most were "local" bills, which involve legislation that only impacts a specific city or county.

Included in those local efforts, Hillsborough County voters will be asked in November whether to increase their county commission from seven members to nine members (HB 4029) and if they want to move from an appointed school district superintendent to an elected one (HB 4027).