June, 2009

There will be no new condominium or HOA legislation this year. Early this month, Governor Charlie Crist vetoed the one bill that had been passed, SB 714. It had made several changes to the Condominium Act, notably correcting problems in the 2008 legislation in matters concerning unit insurance and certification by Director candidates of having read the documents and state laws governing the condominium. The reason given by the Governor in his veto message was the provision of SB 714 that would have delayed condominium fire sprinkler retrofit requirements from 2014 to 2025. This is the same reason, as Governor Crist noted, which was given by then Governor Jeb Bush for his veto of a comprehensive change of condo and HOA legislation in 2006, which contained a comparable delay in that sprinkler retrofit law.