Committee adopts amendment and advances bill to clarify voluntary trial resolution process (HB965, as amended)

Representative Partington introduced HB965 to expand and clarify the procedure for invoking voluntary trial resolution (VTR) judges, citing recommendations from the Florida Bar Business Law Section Task Force and describing the bill as providing procedural guidance and safeguards for litigants.

Members asked detailed procedural questions about the qualifications of VTR judges (whether they must have practice experience in the subject matter), the mechanism for parties to select a judge (lists or personal knowledge), and how appellate review would work for VTR decisions. Representative Partington said the bill does not prescribe practice-area qualifications but emphasized that both parties must agree to the appointed judge; he also said he would work with colleagues to clarify appellate mechanics and that the amendment under consideration might restore appeals in some fashion.

Representative Partington explained amendment barcode 8659, a strike-all that moves VTR provisions to their own section while leaving existing voluntary binding arbitration provisions in section 44.104 unchanged. The amendment was adopted by voice vote. Amy Diaz Lyon of the Business Law Section of the Florida Bar waived in support. Representative Gottlieb recommended a federal-style report-and-recommendation mechanism to preserve interlocutory appellate rights, and Partington agreed to work with him on that point.

After closing arguments and adoption of the amendment, the clerk recorded a roll-call vote on HB965 as amended: 15 yays, 0 nays. The bill was reported favorably as amended and will move forward in the legislative process.