A bill pushed by phosphate giant Mosaic, which would make it harder for citizens to sue the multi-billion-dollar corporation, passed a key committee vote last week with the help of Senator Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton). It then passed in a Senate floor vote on Wednesday, again with Boyd's support.
SB 832, filed by Sen. Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills), got a unanimous vote on April 8 in the Senate Rules Committee, on which Boyd sits. It previously made it through the Judiciary Committee and the Environmental Natural Resources Committee. On Wednesday, it passed in a 33-3 Senate floor vote.
SB 832, along with its companion bill, HB 585 (Jon Albert, R-Frostproof and Richard Gentry, R-Astor), would create an exception to the "Water Quality Assurance Act," one of the most robust environmental laws in the state. The law holds companies responsible for any damage caused by certain types of pollution through "strict liability," which means that when a company pollutes the ground or water, it can be forced to compensate victims, regardless of whether the pollution resulted from negligence or via an accident.
The bills would eliminate "strict liability" in claims arising from "the natural geology substance" of a former phosphate mine. This would include radioactive uranium or radium moved closer to the surface by the mining process. This would significantly raise the bar for plaintiffs, as they would have to not only demonstrate cause but also negligence.
The legislation would also make it difficult for plaintiffs to make such claims, as they would be required to commission detailed radiation surveys before filing a suit. Records show that the Mosaic Corporation made a $10,000 contribution to Burgess four days before he filed the bill, after registering six lobbyists to work on passing the legislation.
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graumli22
With the issues our Manatee River and Tampa Bay area waters are having, this news sickens me. As for Senator Boyd, I've emailed him on other issues and never received so much as an acknowledgement. The only way to chastise politicians like Boyd is at the ballot box.
Friday, April 18, 2025 Report this
David Daniels
Voters, PLEASE pay attention. This will be just one of many votes Boyd makes against our interests. State Reps Robinson and Conerly as well. In the next few weeks they will vote to protect car dealerships and continues the anti-consumer way we are forced to buy a car - except for Tesla, they get an exception. They will vote on more ways to pre-empt local control of development. They will subsidize powerful special interests with tax breaks - for example by a law that allows Philip Morris to sell its IQOS vaping products free from state tobacco taxes (after Philip Morris gave DeSantis $500K to fight Amendment 3 and 4). And there will be many more votes against the public interest. We need to remember and vote these people out!
Friday, April 18, 2025 Report this
Lktinsanfran
Let's just call the "$10,000 contribution" what is really is - a bribe. Interesting that Sen. Burgess is from Zephyrhills, where they have sold our springwater to corporations. It's disgusting.
Friday, April 18, 2025 Report this