This bill provides financial relief to Kristen and Lia McIntosh for injuries sustained in a car accident caused by Officer James Michael McWhorter, an employee of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The accident occurred on February 12, 2022, when Officer McWhorter, while operating a state-owned vehicle, recklessly crossed Interstate 95, resulting in a collision with a vehicle carrying the McIntosh family. The injuries sustained by Kristen and Lia McIntosh were severe, leading to a lawsuit against the Department, which acknowledged the likelihood of a multimillion-dollar verdict. A settlement agreement was reached, with the Department agreeing to pay its statutory limits of $300,000 and support a claim bill for additional damages.

The bill appropriates a total of $2.252 million from the General Revenue Fund to compensate Kristen and Lia McIntosh for their injuries. Specifically, it allocates $1.001 million to Kristen McIntosh and $1.251 million to Elizabeth Thornton, as the guardian of Lia McIntosh, with the latter amount to be placed in a trust for Lia's benefit. The bill also stipulates that the total amount paid for attorney fees related to this claim cannot exceed 25 percent of the total awarded amount. The act will take effect upon becoming law.