HB 6519 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb6519-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act for the relief of the Estate of Peniel Janvier 2
by the City of Miami Beach; providing for an 3
appropriation to compensate the Estate of Peniel 4
Janvier for damages sustained as a result of the 5
negligence of the City of Miami Beach; providing a 6
limitation on the payment of compensation and attorney 7
fees; providing an effective date. 8
9
WHEREAS, on August 16, 2022, Peniel Janvier drowned after 10
being pushed into the community pool at the Scott Rakow Youth 11
Center in the City of Miami Beach, and 12
WHEREAS, the lifeguards and personnel of the City of Miami 13
Beach failed to observe and respond to Mr. Janvier being pushed 14
into the community pool, and 15
WHEREAS, the Estate of Peniel Janvier has alleged, through 16
a lawsuit filed on March 22, 2023, that the negligence of the 17
City of Miami Beach, through its lifeguards and personnel, was 18
the proximate cause of the death of Mr. Janvier, and 19
WHEREAS, Nicole Mathurin, Mr. Jan vier's mother, and 20
Lucmanne Janvier, Mr. Janvier's father, have suffered 21
significant financial damages due to the loss of Peniel 22
Janvier's net income accumulation in the past and future, and 23
extreme mental anguish and suffering as a result of the loss of 24
their son, and 25
HB 6519 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb6519-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
WHEREAS, the Estate of Peniel Janvier and the City of Miami 26
Beach reached a settlement in the amount of $2 million, and 27
WHEREAS, pursuant to the settlement agreement between the 28
parties, the plaintiff's claim will be partially satisfied by 29
the City of Miami Beach paying the amount of $300,000 to the 30
Estate of Peniel Janvier, and 31
WHEREAS, pursuant to the settlement, the claim shall be 32
considered fully satisfied by the City of Miami Beach paying an 33
additional $1.7 million to the Estate of Pen iel Janvier, as 34
authorized by the Florida Legislature through a claim bill, NOW, 35
THEREFORE, 36
37
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 38
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Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act 40
are found and declared to be true. 41
Section 2. The City of Miami Beach is authorized and 42
directed to appropriate from funds not otherwise encumbered and 43
to draw a warrant in the sum of $1.7 million payable to the 44
Estate of Peniel Janvier as compensation for injuries and 45
damages sustained. 46
Section 3. The amount paid by the City of Miami Beach, 47
pursuant to s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, and the amount awarded 48
under this act are intended to provide the sole compensation for 49
all present and future claims arising out of the factual 50
HB 6519 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb6519-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
situation described in this act which resulted in the death of 51
Peniel Janvier and damages to the Estate of Peniel Janvier. The 52
total amount paid for attorney fees relating to this claim may 53
not exceed 25 percent of the total amount awarded under this 54
act. 55
Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 56