| 15 | 15 | | An act relating to mobile home park lot tenancies; 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | amending s. 723.037, F.S.; requiring that a petition 3 |
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| 17 | 17 | | for mediation be filed with the Division of Florida 4 |
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| 18 | 18 | | Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes of the 5 |
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| 19 | 19 | | Department of Business and Professional Regulation to 6 |
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| 20 | 20 | | determine its adequacy and conformance to certain 7 |
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| 21 | 21 | | requirements; requiring mobile home owners to provide, 8 |
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| 22 | 22 | | in a specified manner, certain documents to a m obile 9 |
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| 23 | 23 | | home park owner; authorizing a mobile home park owner 10 |
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| 24 | 24 | | and the mobile home owners, by mutual agreement, to 11 |
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| 25 | 25 | | select a mediator; requiring the division to dismiss a 12 |
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| 26 | 26 | | petition for mediation under certain circumstances; 13 |
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| 27 | 27 | | authorizing a mobile home park owner to file 14 |
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| 28 | 28 | | objections to the petition for mediation within a 15 |
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| 29 | 29 | | specified timeframe; requiring the division to assign 16 |
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| 30 | 30 | | a mediator within a specified timeframe under certain 17 |
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| 31 | 31 | | circumstances; amending s. 723.038, F.S.; authorizing 18 |
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| 32 | 32 | | the parties to a dispute to agree to immediately 19 |
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| 33 | 33 | | select a mediator and initiate mediation proceedings; 20 |
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| 34 | 34 | | requiring the division to appoint a qualified mediator 21 |
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| 35 | 35 | | and notify the parties within a specified timeframe; 22 |
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| 36 | 36 | | conforming a provision to changes made by the act; 23 |
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| 37 | 37 | | amending s. 723.0381, F.S.; pr ohibiting the initiation 24 |
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| 38 | 38 | | of a civil action unless the dispute is first 25 |
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| 46 | 46 | | Page 2 of 7 |
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| 47 | 47 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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| 48 | 48 | | |
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| 49 | 49 | | |
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| 50 | 50 | | |
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| 51 | 51 | | submitted to mediation; amending s. 723.051, F.S.; 26 |
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| 52 | 52 | | providing that a live -in health care aide must have 27 |
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| 53 | 53 | | ingress and egress to and from a mobile home owner's 28 |
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| 54 | 54 | | site without such owner or ai de being required to pay 29 |
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| 55 | 55 | | additional rent, a fee, or any charge; requiring a 30 |
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| 56 | 56 | | mobile home owner to pay the cost of any necessary 31 |
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| 57 | 57 | | background check for the live -in health care aide; 32 |
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| 58 | 58 | | specifying that a live -in health care aide does not 33 |
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| 59 | 59 | | have any rights of tenancy in the mobile home park; 34 |
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| 60 | 60 | | requiring a mobile home owner to notify the park owner 35 |
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| 61 | 61 | | or park manager of certain information relating to the 36 |
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| 62 | 62 | | live-in aide; requiring the mobile home owner to 37 |
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| 63 | 63 | | remove the live-in health care aide and cover certain 38 |
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| 64 | 64 | | costs associated with such removal if necessary; 39 |
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| 65 | 65 | | requiring the division to adopt rules; providing an 40 |
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| 66 | 66 | | effective date. 41 |
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| 67 | 67 | | 42 |
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| 68 | 68 | | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 43 |
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| 69 | 69 | | 44 |
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| 70 | 70 | | Section 1. Paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of subsection (5) 45 |
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| 71 | 71 | | of section 723.037, Florida St atutes, are redesignated as 46 |
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| 72 | 72 | | paragraphs (c), (d), and (e), respectively, present paragraph 47 |
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| 73 | 73 | | (b) of that subsection is amended, and new paragraphs (b), (f), 48 |
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| 74 | 74 | | (g), and (h) are added to that subsection, to read: 49 |
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| 75 | 75 | | 723.037 Lot rental increases; reduction in servi ces or 50 |
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| 83 | 83 | | Page 3 of 7 |
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| 84 | 84 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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| 85 | 85 | | |
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| 86 | 86 | | |
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| 87 | 87 | | |
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| 88 | 88 | | utilities; change in rules and regulations; mediation. — 51 |
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| 89 | 89 | | (5) 52 |
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| 90 | 90 | | (b) A petition for mediation must be filed with the 53 |
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| 91 | 91 | | division in all cases for a determination of adequacy and 54 |
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| 92 | 92 | | conformance of the petition with the requirements in paragraph 55 |
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| 93 | 93 | | (a). Upon filing the petition with the division, the mobile home 56 |
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| 94 | 94 | | owners must provide to the park owner, by certified mail, return 57 |
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| 95 | 95 | | receipt requested, a copy of all of the following: 58 |
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| 96 | 96 | | 1. The home owners' petition for mediation on a form 59 |
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| 97 | 97 | | adopted by the division by rule. 60 |
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| 98 | 98 | | 2. The written designation required by this subsection, 61 |
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| 99 | 99 | | which must include the lot identification for each signature. 62 |
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| 100 | 100 | | 3. The notice or notices of a lot rental increase, 63 |
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| 101 | 101 | | reduction in services or utilities, or change in rules and 64 |
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| 102 | 102 | | regulations which is bei ng challenged as unreasonable. 65 |
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| 103 | 103 | | 4. The records that verify the selection of the 66 |
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| 104 | 104 | | homeowners' committee in accordance with subsection (4). 67 |
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| 105 | 105 | | (c)(b) A park owner, within the same time period, may also 68 |
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| 106 | 106 | | petition the division to initiate mediation of the disput e 69 |
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| 107 | 107 | | pursuant to s. 723.038 . 70 |
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| 108 | 108 | | (f) As an alternative to the appointment of a mediator by 71 |
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| 109 | 109 | | the division, the park owner and the mobile home owners may, by 72 |
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| 110 | 110 | | mutual agreement, select a mediator pursuant to s. 723.038(2) 73 |
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| 111 | 111 | | and (4). 74 |
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| 112 | 112 | | (g) The division must dismiss a p etition for mediation if 75 |
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| 120 | 120 | | Page 4 of 7 |
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| 121 | 121 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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| 122 | 122 | | |
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| 123 | 123 | | |
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| 124 | 124 | | |
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| 125 | 125 | | the park owner and mobile home owners fail to comply with this 76 |
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| 126 | 126 | | subsection. 77 |
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| 127 | 127 | | (h) Within 10 days after receipt of a petition from the 78 |
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| 128 | 128 | | mobile home owners, the park owner may file objections to the 79 |
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| 129 | 129 | | petition with the division. The divi sion must dismiss any 80 |
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| 130 | 130 | | petition that is not timely filed, does not meet the 81 |
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| 131 | 131 | | requirements of this subsection, or is otherwise found deficient 82 |
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| 132 | 132 | | by the division. If a mediator has not been selected pursuant to 83 |
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| 133 | 133 | | paragraph (f), the division must assign a mediator within 10 84 |
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| 134 | 134 | | days after receipt of the park owner's objection to the 85 |
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| 135 | 135 | | petition. 86 |
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| 136 | 136 | | 87 |
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| 137 | 137 | | The purpose of this subsection is to encourage discussion and 88 |
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| 138 | 138 | | evaluation by the parties of the comparable mobile home parks in 89 |
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| 139 | 139 | | the competitive market area. The requirements of this subsection 90 |
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| 140 | 140 | | are not intended to be enforced by civil or administrative 91 |
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| 141 | 141 | | action. Rather, the meetings and discussions are intended to be 92 |
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| 142 | 142 | | in the nature of settlement discussions before prior to the 93 |
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| 143 | 143 | | parties proceed proceeding to litigation of any dispute. 94 |
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| 144 | 144 | | Section 2. Subsections (1), (2), (4), and (9) of section 95 |
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| 145 | 145 | | 723.038, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 96 |
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| 146 | 146 | | 723.038 Dispute settlement; mediation. — 97 |
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| 147 | 147 | | (1) Either party may petition the division to appoint a 98 |
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| 148 | 148 | | mediator and initiate mediation proceedings or the parties may 99 |
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| 149 | 149 | | agree to immediately select a mediator and initiate mediation 100 |
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| 157 | 157 | | Page 5 of 7 |
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| 158 | 158 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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| 159 | 159 | | |
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| 160 | 160 | | |
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| 161 | 161 | | |
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| 162 | 162 | | proceedings pursuant to the criteria outlined in subsections (2) 101 |
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| 163 | 163 | | and (4). 102 |
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| 164 | 164 | | (2) The division, upon receipt of a petition, shall 103 |
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| 165 | 165 | | appoint a qualified mediator to conduct mediation proceedings 104 |
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| 166 | 166 | | and notify the parties within 20 days after such appointment, 105 |
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| 167 | 167 | | unless the parties timely notify the division in writing that 106 |
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| 168 | 168 | | they have selected a mediator. A person appointed by the 107 |
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| 169 | 169 | | division or selected by the parties must shall be a qualified 108 |
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| 170 | 170 | | mediator from a list of circuit court mediators in each judicial 109 |
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| 171 | 171 | | circuit who has met training and educational requirements 110 |
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| 172 | 172 | | established by the Supreme Court. If such mediators are not 111 |
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| 173 | 173 | | available, the division or the parties may select a mediator 112 |
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| 174 | 174 | | from the list maintained by the Florida Growth Management 113 |
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| 175 | 175 | | Conflict Resolution Consortium. The division shall adopt 114 |
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| 176 | 176 | | promulgate rules of procedure to govern such proceedings in 115 |
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| 177 | 177 | | accordance with the rules of practice and pro cedure adopted by 116 |
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| 178 | 178 | | the Supreme Court. The division shall also establish, by rule, 117 |
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| 179 | 179 | | the fee to be charged by a mediator which shall not exceed the 118 |
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| 180 | 180 | | fee authorized by the circuit court. 119 |
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| 181 | 181 | | (4) After the date of the last scheduled meeting held 120 |
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| 182 | 182 | | pursuant to s. 723.037(4), the parties to a dispute may agree to 121 |
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| 183 | 183 | | immediately select a mediator and initiate mediation proceedings 122 |
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| 184 | 184 | | pursuant to this section Upon receiving a petition to mediate a 123 |
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| 185 | 185 | | dispute, the division shall, within 20 days, notify the parties 124 |
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| 186 | 186 | | that a mediator has been appointed by the division . The parties 125 |
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| 194 | 194 | | Page 6 of 7 |
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| 195 | 195 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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| 196 | 196 | | |
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| 197 | 197 | | |
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| 198 | 198 | | |
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| 199 | 199 | | may accept the mediator appointed by the division or, within 30 126 |
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| 200 | 200 | | days, select a mediator to mediate the dispute pursuant to 127 |
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| 201 | 201 | | subsection (2). The parties shall each pay a $250 filing fee to 128 |
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| 202 | 202 | | the mediator appointed by the division or selected by the 129 |
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| 203 | 203 | | parties, within 30 days after the division notifies the parties 130 |
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| 204 | 204 | | of the appointment of the mediator. The $250 filing fee shall be 131 |
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| 205 | 205 | | used by the mediator to defray the hourly rate charged for 132 |
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| 206 | 206 | | mediation of the dispute. Any po rtion of the filing fee not used 133 |
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| 207 | 207 | | shall be refunded to the parties. 134 |
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| 208 | 208 | | (9) A mediator appointed by the division or selected by 135 |
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| 209 | 209 | | the parties pursuant to this section has shall have judicial 136 |
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| 210 | 210 | | immunity in the same manner and to the same extent as a judge. 137 |
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| 211 | 211 | | Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 723.0381, Florida 138 |
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| 212 | 212 | | Statutes, is amended to read: 139 |
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| 213 | 213 | | 723.0381 Civil actions; arbitration. — 140 |
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| 214 | 214 | | (1) A civil action may not be initiated unless the dispute 141 |
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| 215 | 215 | | has been submitted to mediation pursuant to s. 723.037(5). After 142 |
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| 216 | 216 | | mediation of a dispute pursuant to s. 723.038 has failed to 143 |
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| 217 | 217 | | provide a resolution of the dispute, either party may file an 144 |
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| 218 | 218 | | action in the circuit court. 145 |
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| 219 | 219 | | Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 723.051, Florida 146 |
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| 220 | 220 | | Statutes, is amended to read: 147 |
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| 221 | 221 | | 723.051 Invitees and live-in health care aides ; rights and 148 |
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| 222 | 222 | | obligations.— 149 |
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| 223 | 223 | | (1) An invitee of a mobile home owner , or a live-in health 150 |
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| 231 | 231 | | Page 7 of 7 |
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| 232 | 232 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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| 233 | 233 | | |
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| 234 | 234 | | |
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| 235 | 235 | | |
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| 236 | 236 | | care aide as provided for in the federal Fair Housing Act, must 151 |
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| 237 | 237 | | shall have ingress and egress to and from the mobile home 152 |
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| 238 | 238 | | owner's site without the mobile home owner, live-in health care 153 |
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| 239 | 239 | | aide, or invitee being required to pay additional rent, a fee, 154 |
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| 240 | 240 | | or any charge whatsoever , except that the mobile home owner must 155 |
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| 241 | 241 | | pay the cost of a background check for the live -in health care 156 |
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| 242 | 242 | | aide if one is required . Any mobile home park rule or regulation 157 |
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| 243 | 243 | | providing for fees or charges contrary to the terms of this 158 |
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| 244 | 244 | | section is null and void. The live-in health care aide does not 159 |
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| 245 | 245 | | have any rights of tenancy in the mobile home park and the 160 |
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| 246 | 246 | | mobile home owner must notify the park owner or park manager of 161 |
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| 247 | 247 | | the name of the live -in health care aide and provide the 162 |
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| 248 | 248 | | information required to have the background check, if one is 163 |
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| 249 | 249 | | necessary. The mobile home owner has the responsibility to 164 |
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| 250 | 250 | | remove the live-in health care aide should it become necessary 165 |
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| 251 | 251 | | and to cover the costs associated with such removal. 166 |
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| 252 | 252 | | Section 5. The Division of Florida Condominiums, 167 |
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| 253 | 253 | | Timeshares, and Mobile Homes of the Department of Business and 168 |
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| 254 | 254 | | Professional Regulation shall adopt rules to imp lement and 169 |
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| 255 | 255 | | administer this act. 170 |
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| 256 | 256 | | Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 171 |
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