TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s price-tag for losing legal battles continues to grow under Gov. Rick Scott.
Scott recently agreed to pay $1.1 million to cover the legal bills of physicians and medical organizations who successfully challenged a law that restricted doctors’ ability to talk to patients about guns. In July, the state also agreed to a $2 million payment that will go to lawyers who sued on behalf of disabled inmates.
Since Scott took office the state has paid at least $19 million to cover expenses and fees for opposing lawyers.
This includes $12 million to attorneys who represented pediatricians.
Florida has also paid more than $800,000 to lawyers working for the American Civil Liberties Union and nearly $513,000 to lawyers who defeated a state law targeting businesses doing business in Cuba.