Legislation to allow terror attack victims to bring civil lawsuits against those found responsible for the acts unanimously passed the Florida House this week.

  • HB 65 closes loophole in civil claims law, according to sponsors
  • If legislation becomes law, victims would have at least 5 years to sue
  • Pulse victims could sue attack's planners under law

The passage enhances the prospect that victims of last year's Pulse nightclub shooting will soon be able to sue for monetary damages.

The bill -- HB 65 -- would close what sponsors say is a loophole in the state's civil claims law, which allows personal suits involving most types of physical attacks, but appears to exclude acts of terrorism.

It doesn't, however, explicitly mandate that the families of victims killed in terror attacks be able to file civil suits, an omission some lawmakers argued needs to be addressed.

"We want to make sure that they have every single civil remedy that is available to them, not because it will bring back the loss of their loved ones, but because it will be able to help them recoup at least some damages to help them to be able to move on and rebuild their lives," Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) said during a floor debate before the bill's passage.

If the legislation becomes law, terror attack victims would have at least five years after an incident to bring civil lawsuits. That would allow the 53 people wounded at Pulse to sue the attack's planners.

Federal prosecutors are charging Noor Salman of aiding and abetting her husband, Omar Mateen, who perpetrated the attack in June 2016 and was killed by police during a standoff.

"I certainly hope that as the families look for justice that the court system will view this statute in light of that, and hopefully give them some justice in that case," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Jason Fischer (R-Jacksonville).