Florida senator backs bill shielding quartz countertop makers as workers sue over silicosis

After years of exposure to respirable crystalline silica in a Tampa countertop shop, Wade Hanicker was diagnosed with silicosis, a progressive lung disease that has forced him to close his business and incur roughly $100,000 in medical expenses. He joined a growing wave of workers suing manufacturers of engineered-stone countertops, which are made from over 90% crystalline silica. Senator Ashley Moody, seeking reelection, sponsored the "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Stone Slab Products Act of 2026," which would give quartz slab producers the same civil-liability shield as gun and vaccine makers.

Moody’s sponsorship follows a $38,000 contribution from Cambria CEO Marty Davis and a donation from the company’s lobbyists, raising concerns about industry influence. California’s Department of Public Health has logged 668 confirmed silicosis cases and 35 deaths, and the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board is poised to ban engineered stone. Similar bans have already been enacted in Australia. The legislation, though unlikely to pass soon, could reshape liability for a rapidly expanding quartz-countertop market that has grown 800% since 2010.