Provides for the types of damages that may be awarded to the persons for whose benefit an action for wrongful death is brought
This bill updates the laws governing wrongful death lawsuits in the state to clarify which types of financial compensation families can receive when a loved one dies due to someone else's actions. It explicitly allows juries to award damages for specific losses, including funeral costs, medical bills incurred before death, emotional grief, and the loss of financial support, guidance, and companionship. The legislation also defines exactly who is eligible to receive these funds, such as spouses, domestic partners, children, and individuals who acted as parents to the deceased, while establishing a legal process to divide the money fairly among them based on their specific relationship to the decedent. Additionally, the bill adjusts the time limit for filing these lawsuits to three years generally, with a shorter deadline for cases related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced May 4, 2026
Last action May 4, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
1
Key actions
0
Committee
1
May 4, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
upper
1 primary · 35 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Cordell Cleare
DDemocratic
Co
Andrew Gounardes
DDemocratic
Co
Andrew Lanza
RRepublican/Conservative/Independence/Reform
Co
Bill Weber
RRepublican/Conservative
Co
Brian Kavanagh
DDemocratic
Co
Dean Murray
RRepublican/Conservative
Co
Gustavo Rivera
DDemocratic/Working Families
Co
Jabari Brisport
DDemocratic/Working Families
Co
Jake Ashby
RRepublican/Conservative
Co
Jamaal Bailey
DDemocratic/Working Families
Co
James Sanders
DDemocratic
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