THE BILL ITSELF
SB 140
Whistleblower Protections for Employees and Independent Contractors of Property Insurers
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 140 By Senator Rouson 16-00457A-26 2026140__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to whistleblower protections for
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employees and independent contractors of property
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insurers; creating s. 626.9898, F.S.; prohibiting
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property insurers, or their agents or affiliates, from
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taking adverse actions against employees or
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contractors for specified reasons; authorizing such
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employees or contractors to bring a civil action
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within a specified timeframe; authorizing a court to
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order certain relief; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Section 626.9898, Florida Statutes, is created
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to read:
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626.9898 Whistleblower protections for employees and
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contractors of property insurers.—
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(1) Notwithstanding s. 448.102, a property insurer, or any
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of its agents or affiliates, may not discharge, suspend, demote,
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threaten, harass, or take any other adverse action against an
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employee or independent contractor because the employee or
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independent contractor has, in good faith, disclosed to any
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governmental agency or the news media an activity, a policy, or
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a practice of the insurer or its agents or affiliates which is
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in violation of law, constitutes unethical conduct, or involves
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fraudulent insurance practices.
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(2) An employee or independent contractor aggrieved by a
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violation of this section may bring a civil action in a court of
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competent jurisdiction within 2 years after discovering that the
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alleged violation occurred or within 4 years after the adverse
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action was taken, whichever is earlier. Such court may order the
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relief authorized in s. 448.103(2).
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.