SESSION WATCH
Died SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. CS/SB 828

Sovereign Immunity for Public Transit Contractors
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SPONSOR
Transportation; Leek
FILED BY
Thomas J. Leek — District 7, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Judiciary

Filed under Legal.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Sovereign Immunity for Public Transit Contractors; Providing that contractors providing public transit services and their employees or agents are deemed agents of the state for purposes of sovereign immunity, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Extends sovereign immunity protections to public transit contractors.

A private company that provides public transit service under a contract with a state agency or subdivision -- along with its own employees and agents -- is now treated as an agent of the state for lawsuits over its conduct.

The status covers the contractor itself and its own employees or agents, while conduct is within the contract's scope and guidelines. It does not extend to subcontractors performing the work.

That status applies only while the contractor or its employee or agent is acting within the contract's scope and following the guidelines it or a state rule sets.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Transit contractors and their staff deemed state agents majors. 768.28

AIA contractor providing public transit service under a contract with a state agency or subdivision, and that contractor's own employees or agents, are treated as agents of the state -- not an independent private company -- for purposes of the sovereign-immunity statute, whenever they act within the contract's scope and guidelines.

“is considered an agent of the state while acting within the scope of and pursuant to guidelines established in such contract or by rule” bill text, line 41 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Judiciary
2/17/2026
Now in Judiciary
2/11/2026
CS by Transportation read 1st time
2/11/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
2/10/2026
CS by Transportation; YEAS 6 NAYS 2
2/5/2026
On Committee agenda-- Transportation, 02/10/26, 12:00 pm, 37...
1/13/2026
Introduced
12/16/2025
Referred to Transportation; Judiciary; Rules
12/9/2025
Filed
3 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 768.28
+70 / −1
s. 766.1115
+2 / −2
s. 768.28
+0 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES