Florida Senate - 2018                                    SB 1034
       
       
        
       By Senator Steube
       
       
       
       
       
       23-01254-18                                           20181034__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to mediation; creating s. 44.407,
    3         F.S.; requiring that insurance carrier representatives
    4         who attend circuit court mediation have specified
    5         settlement authority and the ability to immediately
    6         consult by specified means with persons having certain
    7         additional settlement authority; requiring certain
    8         persons to be available to teleconference with the
    9         mediator under certain circumstances; providing
   10         sanctions for insurance carriers that fail to comply
   11         in good faith; creating s. 44.408, F.S.; providing
   12         that certain third parties may be compelled to attend
   13         mediation in circuit court under certain
   14         circumstances; providing that such third parties may
   15         not be compelled to pay any portion of the mediator’s
   16         fees or costs; requiring that the designated
   17         representatives of such third parties have full
   18         authority to settle certain amounts or interests or be
   19         able to immediately consult by specified means with
   20         the person having such authority; requiring that
   21         certain persons be available to teleconference with
   22         the mediator upon the request of the mediator;
   23         providing sanctions for certain third parties who fail
   24         to appear; creating s. 44.409, F.S.; limiting the
   25         information that may be included in the mediator’s
   26         report to the court; providing an effective date.
   27          
   28  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   29  
   30         Section 1. Section 44.407, Florida Statutes, is created to
   31  read:
   32         44.407Insurance carrier representative’s settlement
   33  authority at circuit court mediation.—
   34         (1)An insurance carrier representative attending a circuit
   35  court mediation must have:
   36         (a)Full authority to settle up to the amount of the
   37  insurance carrier’s reserve on the claims subject to mediation;
   38  and
   39         (b)The ability to immediately consult during the mediation
   40  by electronic or telephonic means with the person having
   41  authority to settle above the amount of the insurance carrier’s
   42  reserve on the claims subject to mediation, up to the applicable
   43  insurance policy limit or the amount of the plaintiff’s last
   44  demand, whichever is less.
   45         (2)The person or persons consulted by the insurance
   46  carrier representative in attendance must be available to
   47  teleconference with the mediator at the mediator’s request.
   48         (3)An insurance carrier appearing for mediation which does
   49  not comply in good faith with this section is subject to
   50  sanctions in the same manner as a party that fails to appear
   51  with the required settlement authority.
   52         Section 2. Section 44.408, Florida Statutes, is created to
   53  read:
   54         44.408Compelling interested third parties to attend
   55  circuit court mediation.—
   56         (1)Upon motion of any party, a court may order a third
   57  party to attend a circuit court mediation and participate in
   58  good faith in the mediation process if all of the following
   59  apply:
   60         (a)The third party claims a lien or other asserted
   61  interest in the proceeds of any funds that a party may receive
   62  as part of a mediated settlement agreement.
   63         (b)The presence of the third party can be compelled by
   64  service of an order to appear for mediation served in the same
   65  manner as service of process according to law.
   66         (c)The presence of the third party at the mediation will
   67  facilitate the mediation process.
   68         (2)A third party ordered to attend a mediation who appears
   69  and participates in good faith may not be compelled to pay any
   70  portion of the mediator’s fees or costs.
   71         (3)The designated representative of a third party ordered
   72  to attend a mediation who appears on behalf of the third party
   73  must have full authority to settle the amount of the third
   74  party’s lien or other asserted interest or have the ability to
   75  immediately consult with the person having such authority by
   76  electronic or telephonic means during the mediation conference.
   77         (4)The person or persons consulted by the third-party
   78  representative in attendance must be available to teleconference
   79  with the mediator at the mediator’s request.
   80         (5)A third party ordered to attend a mediation conference
   81  who fails to appear is subject to sanctions in the same manner
   82  as a party who fails to appear.
   83         Section 3. Section 44.409, Florida Statutes, is created to
   84  read:
   85         44.409Mediator’s report.—
   86         (1)Except as provided in subsection (2), the mediator’s
   87  report to the court may only state one of the following:
   88         (a)A complete agreement was reached.
   89         (b)A partial agreement was reached.
   90         (c)No agreement was reached.
   91         (2)If a partial agreement was reached which eliminates
   92  claims or parties from the litigation, a list of such claims and
   93  parties may be provided, but no additional information may be
   94  disclosed.
   95         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.