Venice Hma, LLC D/b/a Venice Regional Medical Center, Appellant v. Sarasota County, Appellee; Sarasota…

Summary

The court reversed the Second District and upheld the Sarasota County indigent-care reimbursement provision. It held that the provision does not grant an unconstitutional privilege because it applies equally to all public and private hospitals within Sarasota County, and that the provision did not violate the County's home-rule powers because the 1959 enactment predated the relevant constitutional provision and was continuously effective after its 2003 reenactment. LAWSON, J., dissenting, would have affirmed because the financial benefit to private hospitals was granted by special law and therefore violated the constitutional prohibition.