Starting Early on Bill Sponsors

RAFTA: Reasonable Attorneys Fee’s for
Taxpayers Act

Florida CSE has secured sponsors in both chambers of the
legislature for our RAFTA bill.

State Senator Debby Sanderson (R-Ft. Lauderdale) and
State Representative Jim Kallinger (R-Winter Park) will be the lead
sponsors of the bill as we recruit other co-sponsors before the regular
legislative session begins on January 22, 2002. Rep. Kallinger was FL CSE’s
Activist of the Year in 1999 and won the prestigious “Freshman
Legislator of the Year” award from the National Republican Legislators
Association in 2001.

Reasonable Attorney Fees for Taxpayers Act

1. The current system for hiring outside attorneys to
represent the state allows for backroom deals, and outlandish fees all at
the expense of the taxpayers.

2. Whether it’s road construction or a box of
paperclips, the state uses a public bidding process before it spends the
taxpayer’s dollars. RAFTA applies the same principles of fairness and
accounting to state-contracted legal services.

3. RAFTA ensures taxpayers fair competition, quality
representation, lower attorney fees, and government accountability.

REASONABLE ATTORNEY FEES FOR TAXPAYERS ACT WOULD:

– Allow legislative oversight over large legal contracts

– Establish a competitive bidding process for legal
contracts over $1,000,000.

– Places a $1,000 per hour limit on the amount of money
trial lawyers can receive through contingency contracts with the state.

– Monitor the expenses of outside laywers.

– Open expense and contract records to the public.