Melissa Hernandez De La Cruz

The Legislature will not overturn what critics deride as the state's "free kill" law, which generally prevents families from filing medical malpractice lawsuits against doctors or hospitals when the victims are adults.

The high-stakes court fight unfolding over the off-again, on-again abortion law newly passed in Texas threatens to throw into confusion plans by Florida lawmakers to pass a similarly restrictive law banning abortions after a physician can detect a fetal heartbeat.