TALLAHASSEE – State Representative Marti Coley (R-Marianna) announced today her optimism regarding the October 3rd Special Session dealing with the state’s revenue shortfall and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Reform.

“As legislators, we are charged with ensuring that state government continues to practice fiscal discipline and spends the taxpayer’s money wisely. The bottom line continues to remain the same: Florida’s families have less to spend, which means state government must spend less too,” said Representative Coley. “The revenue forecast has changed. We created a state budget for the current year fiscal year during the 2007 Regular Session based on a forecast for future revenue collection. In August 2007, the Revenue Estimating Conference revised the forecast to show that the state has collected, and will continue to collect, less revenue than originally projected.”

Since the state is collecting less revenue than expected, we are ending the fiscal year with a smaller balance than was originally anticipated. Because the Florida Constitution requires the budget to be balanced, the State cannot carry a deficit.

In addition to the budget issues, the legislature will also consider the Florida law that requires every driver to carry personal injury protection insurance (PIP), which ensures that motorists involved in accidents have the ability to pay for their medical treatment and associated expenses. PIP pays the policyholder’s benefits no matter who was at-fault for the accident. In other words, your insurance pays for your medical expenses, even if the accident was someone else’s fault. However, there are individuals who take advantage of the current system and file fraudulent claims that increase the burden to insurers and their customers. Current proposed legislation would help stem the rising tide of these fraudulent claims and still provide our citizens with the ability to get the medical treatment they need.

“I understand the concern that some Florida hospitals will be left holding the bill for uninsured drivers who are injured in auto accidents if PIP simply sunsets with no alternative in place. We are committed in the House to continue to work until the deadline to reach an agreement with the Senate over PIP’s future,” said Representative Coley.