I first want to give you some good news. On the more broad scale, I want you to know that the listeners and viewers of this show, along with yours truly, really count in the eyes of The Florida Legislature.
There have been many times when I drafted legislation and I asked each of you to call your local Senators or Members of The House – to support a piece of legislation I drafted. Each and every time I did, the legislation passed. Whether it was requiring certification for HOA members, requiring the vote for making a material alteration to take place before the alteration was made, allowing for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations or mandatory education for condo board members, all of you demanded the legislation passed and each time it did. As a group, the unit owners in Florida and the community associations themselves can be powerful – WHEN THEY WANT TO.
Case in point. Just last week, I asked each of you on the air to e-mail or call Senator Jennifer Bradley and urge her to amend her bill to include mandatory educational language for Board members in Florida. Understand that this time last week, mandatory education was dead again, for yet another year. Well, the listeners of The Condo Craze and HOAs radio show responded. They did e-mail her. Senator Anna Maria Rodriguez reached out to her. I wrote her a lengthy letter urging that the bill moving through The Senate be amended to include mandatory education. And as a result, SB 1702 was amended by Senator Bradley and mandatory education for condominium directors is just about ready to pass The Florida Senate. Unfortunately, mandatory education for HOA directors will still not be required. The bottom line is when it comes to HOAs it’s a “hands off” policy by The Florida Legislature.
There is strength in numbers and as the readers of our blogs, the watchers and listeners of our show, and the attendees at our seminars continue to grow—— so does our power to perhaps finally get The Florida Legislature to hear us.
Unfortunately, it also took the Surfside tragedy for the members of The Florida Legislature to hears us. But from now on maybe when we warn them of impending disaster, hopefully the issue will be taken more seriously. It’s us who have our ear to the ground when it comes to Florida condominiums and HOAs. It’s us, who should be listened to.
So, the condo bill making its way to the finish line in The Florida Senate is SB 1702. Here is the link: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1702
I’m not going to reveal what else the bill contains, because I learned in the immortal words of Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” SB 1702 can still be amended until a companion bill in Florida’s House is ironed out and the two bills match after some negotiation. So, expect some give and take up until the final moment. But at least for today, just know that you have been heard loud and clear. At least those of you who live in condominiums. If you believe in something with all your heart, like I do and the listeners of this show do about education, never give up, never back down, and always fight fight fight until the powers that be hear you. I know I won’t.