Florida Governor Charlie Crist has signed into law legislation blocking local governments from billing motorists for emergency response services at the scene of an automobile accident.
SB 2282, sponsored by Sen. Mike Bennett (R.-Bradenton) prohibits local governments from levying additional fees charged for police and fire department response services at the scene of a traffic accident, known as “crash taxes.” Rep. Nick Thompson (R.- Ft. Myers) sponsored the companion bill in the Florida House.
The bill will become effective on July 1, 2009.
“Car accidents should not be a revenue opportunity,” said William Stander, assistant vice president and regional manager for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), which supported the bill. “Local government budgets will no longer be balanced on the backs of automobile accident victims.”
This prohibition does not apply to hazardous material clean-up or ambulance services, including air ambulance.
According to PCI, Florida is the eighth state to ban the crash tax, joining Pennsylvania, Missouri, Indiana, Georgia, Tennessee Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Topics Florida
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
WR Berkley Founder and Executive Chairman Dies at 80 
CSU Adjusts Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast Due to Emerging El Nino 
D&O Market Expected to Tighten Under Pressure, Says AM Best 
Miami Moves to Seize Part of Posh Island After Fuel Fight 
