Florida Governor Rick Scott has until June 12 to sign a number of bills presented to him by the legislature, including SB 1792, which diminishes significantly the number of available expert witnesses who may testify in medical malpractice lawsuits. While the change may not seem all that significant at first glance, the statute in its current form already places strict requirements on potential experts. More important, this is is yet another attempt the Florida legislature or Governor Scott to diminish the rights of victims of medical malpractice and other forms of negligence.

Following last week’s criminal conviction of Conrad Murray, the doctor who fatally administered the propofol anesthetic to Michael Jackson, the civil lawsuits alleging wrongful death against Murray are already underway.