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It’s been 12 years and counting since the family of a Florida State football player settled with the university following his death after a practice. As Matt Galka tells us, they’ve been in limbo for more than a decade – waiting on lawmakers to approve their claims bill.

15 years ago, Devaughn Darling had big dreams. He was a football player at Florida State University…playing alongside his twin brother, Devard.  And then on February 26^th, 2001, Devaughn died following a brutal morning practice.

“Devaughn is buried in a Florida State uniform down in Houston Texas right now because we love this place so much,” said his brother, Devard.

The Darling family eventually settled with FSU in 2004 for $2 million dollars.  But the school was only allowed to pay $200,000 dollars to the family.  The rest has to be paid by the legislature.  That has yet to happen.

State Senator Arthenia Joyner (D-Tampa) has sponsored the family’s claims bill for seven years.

“The wait for the deliverance of justice for this family is now in its 15^th year, almost as long as Devaughn walked the streets of this Earth,” she said.

The family’s push comes with some irony, as it was FSU day at the Capitol.

Devard Darling says he hopes it’s a sign of good things to come.

“Everything happens for a reason and we believe we’re doing the right thing, we think justice will be served,” he said.

The Senate’s president says he’s open to hearing claims bills, but it starts with the bill passing through the required committees.

The claims bills have been filed in both the House and Senate but have yet to be scheduled for a committee