Florida SB 24: Relief of the Estate of Eric Scot Tenner by the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners

Bill Text

24 
Relief of Lourdes Latour and Edward Latour by Miami-Dade County 
2025-08-01T12:20:40Z 
Providing for the relief of Lourdes Latour and Edward Latour by Miami-Dade County; providing an appropriation to compensate Mr. and Mrs. Latour for injuries sustained as a result of the negligence of Miami-Dade County; providing a limitation on compensation and the payment of attorney fees, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
LCB 
Claim Bill/Local 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 (NP) SB 24 

 By Senator Gruters 

 22-00047-26 202624__ 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act for the relief of Lourdes Latour and Edward 
 3 Latour by Miami-Dade County; providing an 
 4 appropriation to compensate Mr. and Mrs. Latour for 
 5 injuries sustained as a result of the negligence of 
 6 Miami-Dade County; providing a limitation on 
 7 compensation and the payment of attorney fees; 
 8 providing an effective date. 
 9 
 10 WHEREAS, on November 5, 2017, Lourdes Latour sustained 
 11 serious injuries when she was struck by a malfunctioning 
 12 automatic gate arm while exiting the Gables by the Sea community 
 13 on her bicycle in Miami-Dade County, and 
 14 WHEREAS, the automatic gate arm at the community exit 
 15 malfunctioned, striking Lourdes Latour and throwing her from her 
 16 bicycle, causing her to sustain permanent injuries, and 
 17 WHEREAS, Lourdes Latour and Edward Latour have alleged, 
 18 through a lawsuit filed on November 21, 2018, that the 
 19 negligence of Miami-Dade County in the ownership, operation, 
 20 maintenance, and control of the subject exit gate was the 
 21 proximate cause of the injuries sustained by Mrs. Latour, and 
 22 WHEREAS, the lawsuit proceeded to trial, and on January 16, 
 23 2025, a jury returned a verdict in favor of Mr. and Mrs. Latour, 
 24 finding Miami-Dade County 100 percent liable for the incident, 
 25 and 
 26 WHEREAS, the jury awarded Mrs. Latour $4.75 million for her 
 27 injuries and Mr. Latour $165,000 for his loss of consortium, and 
 28 WHEREAS, Mrs. Latour has suffered significant pain and 
 29 suffering, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement, 
 30 mental anguish, inconvenience, and loss of capacity for 
 31 enjoyment of life, and 
 32 WHEREAS, Mr. Latour has suffered loss of his wife’s 
 33 comfort, society, attention, and services, and 
 34 WHEREAS, following the verdict and entry of final judgment, 
 35 Mr. and Mrs. Latour and Miami-Dade County reached a settlement 
 36 in the amount of $800,000, and 
 37 WHEREAS, pursuant to the settlement agreement between the 
 38 parties, the plaintiffs’ claim will be partially satisfied by 
 39 Miami-Dade County paying the amount of $300,000 to Mr. and Mrs. 
 40 Latour, and 
 41 WHEREAS, pursuant to the settlement, Miami-Dade County 
 42 supports and agrees that Mr. and Mrs. Latour should receive as 
 43 compensation the remaining $500,000 of the settlement amount, 
 44 and their claim shall be considered fully satisfied by Miami 
 45 Dade County paying this $500,000 to Mr. and Mrs. Latour, as 
 46 authorized by the Florida Legislature through a claim bill, NOW, 
 47 THEREFORE, 
 48 
 49 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 50 
 51 Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act are 
 52 found and declared to be true. 
 53 Section 2. Miami-Dade County is authorized and directed to 
 54 appropriate from funds not otherwise encumbered and to draw a 
 55 warrant in the sum of $500,000 payable to Lourdes Latour and 
 56 Edward Latour as compensation for injuries and damages 
 57 sustained. 
 58 Section 3. The amount paid by Miami-Dade County pursuant to 
 59 s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, and the amount awarded under this 
 60 act are intended to provide the sole compensation for all 
 61 present and future claims arising out of the factual situation 
 62 described in this act which resulted in injuries and damages to 
 63 Lourdes Latour and Edward Latour. The total amount paid for 
 64 attorney fees relating to this claim may not exceed 25 percent 
 65 of the total amount awarded under this act. 
 66 Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.