CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER JIMMY PATRONIS March 24, 2021 STATE OF FLORIDA Representative Bobby DuBose Minority Leader, Florida House of Representatives House Democratic Office 316 The Capitol 402 South Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399 Dear Leader DuBose: Tomorrow, the Florida House will convene with an amazing opportunity to pass historic and meaningful liability protections and add Florida to the list of more than 20 other states that have enacted some sort of liability shields. ‘Therefore, | am respectfully asking that the members of the Democratic leadership support these vital liability protections in an effort to get al Democrat house members to support this bill. No doubt, this is the single most important piece of legislation that unifies families inthe state. Seven of your members have already voted in support of this good bill and this vote presents us with an opportunity to unanimously support Florida's businesses. T know that when I served with co-Leader Evan Jenne, we were elected to work on behalf of everyday Floridians and we passed many important bills to ensure they got to the Governor for signature. This is an incredible opportunity for legislators to step up and protect our businesses and frontline healthcare workers who have lost so much during these challenging times. I think you’ll agree this isn’t a Democratic or Republican issue, it's a Florida issue — and we must show our business owners, job creators, and health care workers that we have their back. For several months now, I have traveled the State of Florida hearing directly from business owners and health care workers on their struggles related to the COVID-19 pandemic. From Pensacola to Miami, I heard the same concerns voiced by our state’s job creators and frontline health care workers — the fear of operating with open ended liability related to COVID-19. I'm sure you’ve heard these worries from your constituents and that is why 1'm writing you today and asking for your support to pass legislation this year and address this critical issue. It’s no secret that COVID-19 has changed everything. As a former small business owner myself, I've spent most of my life in the restaurant industry, and I know how hard itis to make payroll on a good day, much less when hampered by the financial impacts of COVID-19. We must allow business owners who follow the proper health and safety guidelines to be protected from frivolous lawsuits and sue and settle tacties that will stifle our state's recovery. No doubt, unless we take action to protect our small businesses, we'll see big problems: businesses will close, insurance rates will continue to grow, and critical services will get squeezed. ‘My door is always open if you'd like to discuss this matter further and I thank you for your support and your service to Floridians. Sincerely, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES. THECAPITOL, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32399-0301 + (850) 413-2850 FAX (850) 313-2950