Opinion ID: 1708176
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Effect on more than one branch of government

Text: Opponent argues that the amendment affects both the legislative and the judicial branches because it would affect statutes and procedural rules. Unquestionably, the amendment would affect sections 395.0193(8) and 766.101(5) of the Florida Statutes (2003), which currently exempt the records of investigations, proceedings, and records of the peer review panel from discovery in a civil or administrative action. Indeed, this is a primary purpose of the amendment. Opponent also argues that the amendment would affect Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.280(c), which restricts the discovery of work product, including incident reports generated by health care providers and facilities. Further, opponent argues that the amendment infringes on the statutes and rules delineating the attorney-client privilege, as there is no exception in the amendment for pertinent documents created by attorneys. Contrary to the clear effect upon the above two statutes, the amendment does not expressly affect either rule 1.280(c) or the attorney-client privilege, and there is no evidence of any intent to do so. Any effect on the rule or the privilege is purely speculative; and, even if true, any such effect would not rise to the level of substantially altering or performing a function of the judiciary. [2]