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Bill blocking Citizens Insurance policies for noncompliant condos advances in House

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floridaphoenix.com – Jackie Llanos – 2025-03-11 16:48:00

Bill blocking Citizens Insurance policies for noncompliant condos advances in House

by Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix
March 11, 2025

This legislative session’s much-awaited House condo bill passed its first committee unanimously in 13 minutes on Tuesday, but one of the differences between the House and Senate proposals appears to be taking center stage.

Miami Republican Rep. Vicki Lopez wants to bar the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. from issuing or renewing policies for condominium buildings that haven’t completed a building inspection, a requirement the Legislature passed following the 2021 collapse in Surfside of a 12-story condo that killed 98 people.

Lawmakers gave condos with three or more stories a Dec. 31, 2024, deadline to complete structural integrity reserve studies and repeat them every 10 years, detailing how much a condominium association needs to save to pay for roof and structural maintenance.

“It is the stick,” Lopez told reporters after her HB 913 cleared the Housing, Agriculture, and Tourism Subcommittee. “Look, they’ve had two and a half years to get a structural integrity reserve study done. It literally doesn’t take that much.”

However, Republican Sen. Jennifer Bradley of Northeast Florida, sponsoring the upper chamber’s proposal (SB 1742), says that provision would make the situation worse for condo owners facing higher association fees to pay for repairs. Bradley’s bill has not had a hearing yet, but she expects it to pass in the next two weeks.

“We want to make sure that associations comply, but I’m also very concerned about making sure that they don’t compound their troubles by not being able to secure insurance,” Bradley told Florida Phoenix.

Both Bradley and Lopez said the differences between the bills would be resolved.

“I think that’s something that leadership is going to have to sort out,” Lopez said.

Unreliable data

Approximately 36% of condominiums required to acquire the structural integrity reserve studies had done so by Feb. 10, said Melanie Griffin, secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, to House lawmakers during a Feb. 18 meeting. Griffin said the data may not be accurate because they were self-reported.

The condo associations are not required to submit copies of their studies, but the department included an optional field for additional information in the form reporting their completion.

“While this information gives us an idea of what condominium associations and owners are experiencing, we are not confident in this additional data, and we are not sure it is reliable enough to draw concrete conclusions from or base important policy decisions on,” Griffin told lawmakers.

Another difference in the bills is that Lopez wants condo associations to be able to get loans to cover necessary repairs without requiring approval from association members. On the other hand, Bradley wants the associations to hire investment advisers to grow their reserve funds.

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Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.

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Delray Beach leaders fight for rainbow street mural during Florida hearing in Orange County

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www.clickorlando.com – Catherine Silver – 2025-09-02 15:47:00

SUMMARY: Delray Beach city leaders traveled nearly 200 miles to a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) hearing regarding the state’s request to remove a rainbow pride mural at Northeast Second Avenue and First Street. The mural commemorates the Pulse nightclub shooting anniversary and was painted in 2021. No final decision was made; the city must submit supporting documents by September 5. City attorney Howard DuBosar argued the mural is street art, not a traffic control device, and cited local control under “Home Rule.” FDOT emphasized safety and state standards. Governor DeSantis supports removal of such messages from crosswalks. The mural remains for now pending the decision.

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Rudy Giuliani leaves the hospital after being injured in a car crash in New Hampshire

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www.news4jax.com – Carolyn Thompson, Associated Press – 2025-09-02 10:32:00

SUMMARY: Rudy Giuliani, 81, was released from the hospital after a car accident in New Hampshire where the vehicle he was in was struck from behind on Interstate 93. Giuliani sustained a fractured thoracic vertebra, multiple lacerations, contusions, and injuries to his left arm and leg. He and the driver, spokesman Ted Goodman, were helping a woman who reported a domestic violence incident when the crash occurred. Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The crash’s cause is under investigation, with no charges filed. Giuliani, known as “America’s mayor” for his 9/11 leadership, later served as Trump’s personal attorney, involved in controversial election fraud claims.

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Polls to open in Florida Senate, House special elections. How to find out if you should be voting

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www.clickorlando.com – Christie Zizo, Emily McLeod – 2025-09-02 04:00:00

SUMMARY: Election Day in west Orange County, Florida, on Tuesday features special elections to fill two Florida Legislature vacancies in Senate District 15 and House District 40. Senate District 15 includes northwest Orange County areas like Winter Garden and College Park. The seat was vacated by the late Sen. Geraldine Thompson. Democratic State Rep. Bracy Davis faces Republican Willie J. Montague for the Senate seat. In House District 40, RaShon Young, Davis’ former chief of staff, won the Democratic primary and will compete against Republican Tuan Le and write-in Chris Hall in the Sept. 2 general election. Polls open 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; vote-by-mail ballots are due by 7 p.m.

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