HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 1 of 12
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
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the My Safe Florida Condominium 2
Pilot Program; creating s. 215.5587, F.S.; 3
establishing the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot 4
Program within the Department of Financial Services; 5
providing legislative intent; providing definitions; 6
providing requirements for associations and unit 7
owners to participate in the pilot program; providing 8
voting requirements; requiring the department t o 9
contract with specified entities for certain 10
inspections; providing requirements for such entities; 11
authorizing the department to conduct criminal record 12
checks of certain inspectors; requiring inspectors to 13
submit fingerprints and processing fees to the 14
department; providing requirements for hurricane 15
mitigation inspectors and inspections; requiring 16
applications for inspections and grants to include 17
specified statements; authorizing an association to 18
receive an inspection without applying for a 19
mitigation grant; providing mitigation grants for a 20
specified purpose; providing requirements for an 21
association receiving a mitigation grant; authorizing 22
an association to select is own contractor if such 23
contractor meets certain requirements; requiring the 24
department to electronically verify a contractor's 25
HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 2 of 12
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
state license; requiring construction to be completed 26
and the association to submit a request for a final 27
inspection within a specified time period; requiring 28
mitigation grants to be matched by the association; 29
providing a maximum state contribution based on the 30
General Appropriations Act; providing requirements for 31
mitigation projects; providing how mitigation grants 32
may be used; requiring the department to develop a 33
specified process to ensure efficiency; autho rizing 34
the department to contract for certain services; 35
providing requirements for such contracts; requiring 36
the department to implement a quality assurance and 37
reinspection program; requiring the department to 38
submit to the Legislature an annual report wi th 39
specified information; providing an effective date. 40
41
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 42
43
Section 1. Section 215.5587, Florida Statutes, is created 44
to read: 45
215.5587 My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program. —There 46
is established within the Department of Financial Services the 47
My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program to be implemented 48
pursuant to appropriations. The department shall provide fiscal 49
accountability, contract management, and strategic leadership 50
HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 3 of 12
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
for the pilot program, consistent with this section. This 51
section does not create an entitlement for associations or unit 52
owners or obligate the state in any way to fund the inspection 53
or retrofitting of condominiums in the state. Implementation of 54
this pilot program is subject to annual legislative 55
appropriations. It is the intent of the Legislature that the My 56
Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program provide licensed 57
inspectors to perform inspections for and grants to eligible 58
associations as funding allows. 59
(1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term: 60
(a) "Association" has the same meaning as in s. 718.103. 61
(b) "Association property" has the same meaning as in s. 62
718.103. 63
(c) "Board of administration" has the same meaning as in 64
s. 718.103. 65
(d) "Condominium" has the same meaning as in s. 718.103. 66
(e) "Condominium property" has the same meaning as in s. 67
718.103. 68
(f) "Department" means the Department of Financial 69
Services. 70
(g) "Property" means association property and condominium 71
property, as applicable. 72
(h) "Rebuild" means property under construction to replace 73
a structure that was destroyed or significantly damaged by a 74
hurricane and deemed unlivable by a regulatory authority. 75
HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 4 of 12
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
(i) "Unit" has the same meaning as in s. 718.103. 76
(j) "Unit owner" has the same meaning as in s. 718.103. 77
(2) PARTICIPATION.— 78
(a) In order to apply for an inspection under subsection 79
(4) or a grant under subsection (5) for association property or 80
condominium property, an association must receive approval by a 81
majority vote of the board of administration or a majority vote 82
of the total voting interests of the association to participate 83
in the pilot program. 84
(b) In order to apply for a grant under subsection (5) 85
which improves one or more units within a condominium, a n 86
association must receive both of the following: 87
1. Approval by a majority vote of the board of 88
administration or a majority vote of the total voting interests 89
of the association to participate in a mitigation inspection. 90
2. A unanimous vote of all un it owners within the 91
structure or building that is the subject of the mitigation 92
grant. 93
(c) A unit owner may participate in the pilot program 94
through a mitigation grant awarded to the association but may 95
not participate individually in the pilot program. 96
(d) The votes required under this subsection may take 97
place at the annual budget meeting of the association or at a 98
unit owner meeting called for the purpose of taking such vote. 99
Before a vote of the unit owners may be taken, the association 100
HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 5 of 12
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
must provide to the unit owners a clear disclosure of the pilot 101
program on a form created by the department. The president and 102
the treasurer of the board of administration must sign the 103
disclosure form indicating that a copy of the form was provided 104
to each unit owner of the association. The signed disclosure 105
form and the minutes from the meeting at which the unit owners 106
voted to participate in the pilot program must be maintained as 107
part of the official records of the association. Within 14 days 108
after an affirmative vote to participate in the pilot program, 109
the association must provide written notice in the same manner 110
as required under s. 718.112(2)(d) to all unit owners of the 111
decision to participate in the pilot program. 112
(3) HURRICANE MITIGATION INSPECTORS. — 113
(a) Licensed inspectors are to provide inspections of the 114
property to determine the mitigation measures that are needed, 115
the insurance premium discounts that may be available to the 116
association, and the improvements to existing properties of the 117
association that are needed to reduce a property's vulnerability 118
to hurricane damage. 119
(b) The department shall contract with wind certification 120
entities to provide hurricane mitigation inspections. To qualify 121
for selection by the department as a wind certification e ntity 122
to provide hurricane mitigation inspections, the entity must, at 123
a minimum, meet all of the following requirements: 124
1. Use hurricane mitigation inspectors who are licensed or 125
HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 6 of 12
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
certified as: 126
a. A building inspector under s. 468.607; 127
b. A general, building, or residential contractor under s. 128
489.111; 129
c. A professional engineer under s. 471.015; 130
d. A professional architect under s. 481.213; or 131
e. A home inspector under s. 468.8314 who has completed at 132
least 3 hours of hurricane mitigation trai ning approved by the 133
Construction Industry Licensing Board, which must include 134
hurricane mitigation techniques, compliance with the uniform 135
mitigation verification form, and completion of a proficiency 136
exam. 137
2. Use hurricane mitigation inspectors who hav e undergone 138
drug testing and a background screening. The department may 139
conduct criminal record checks of inspectors used by wind 140
certification entities. Inspectors must submit a set of 141
fingerprints to the department for state and national criminal 142
history checks and must pay the fingerprint processing fee set 143
forth in s. 624.501. The fingerprints must be sent by the 144
department to the Department of Law Enforcement and forwarded to 145
the Federal Bureau of Investigation for processing. The results 146
must be returned to the department for screening. The 147
fingerprints must be taken by a law enforcement agency, 148
designated examination center, or other department -approved 149
entity. 150
HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 7 of 12
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
3. Provide a quality assurance program including a 151
reinspection component. 152
(4) HURRICANE MITIGATION INSPECTIONS. — 153
(a) The inspections provided to an association under this 154
section must, at a minimum, include all of the following: 155
1. An inspection of the property, and a report that 156
summarizes the results and identifies recommended improve ments 157
the association may take to mitigate hurricane damage. 158
2. A range of cost estimates regarding the recommended 159
mitigation improvements. 160
3. Information regarding estimated insurance premium 161
discounts, correlated to the current mitigation features a nd the 162
recommended mitigation improvements identified by the 163
inspection. 164
(b) An application for an inspection must contain a signed 165
or electronically verified statement made under penalty of 166
perjury by the president of the board of administration that th e 167
association has submitted only a single application for each 168
property that the association operates or maintains. 169
(c) An association may apply for and receive an inspection 170
without also applying for a grant under subsection (5). 171
(5) MITIGATION GRANTS .—Financial grants may be used to 172
encourage associations to retrofit the property the association 173
operates and maintains in order to make such property less 174
vulnerable to hurricane damage. 175
HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 8 of 12
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
(a) An application for a mitigation grant must: 176
1. Contain a signed or electronically verified statement 177
made under penalty of perjury by the president of the board of 178
administration that the association has submitted only a single 179
application for each property that the association operates or 180
maintains. 181
2. Include a notarized statement from the president of the 182
board of administration containing the name and license number 183
of the contractor the association intends to use for the 184
mitigation project. 185
3. Include a notarized statement from the president of the 186
board of administration which commits to the department that the 187
association will complete the mitigation improvements. If the 188
grant will be used to improve units, the application must also 189
include an acknowledged statement from each unit owner who is 190
required to provide approval for a grant under paragraph (2)(b). 191
(b) An association may select its own contractor for the 192
mitigation project as long as such contractor meets all 193
qualification, certi fication, or licensing requirements in 194
general law. A mitigation project must be performed by a 195
properly licensed contractor who has secured all required local 196
permits necessary for the project. The department must 197
electronically verify that the contractor 's state license number 198
is accurate and up to date before approving a grant application. 199
(c) An association awarded a grant must complete the 200
HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 9 of 12
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
entire mitigation project in order to receive the final grant 201
award and must agree to make the property availabl e for a final 202
inspection once the mitigation project is finished to ensure the 203
mitigation improvements are completed in a matter consistent 204
with the intent of the pilot program and meet or exceed the 205
applicable Florida Building Code requirements. Construct ion must 206
be completed and the association must submit a request to the 207
department for a final inspection, or request an extension of 208
time, within 1 year after receiving grant approval. If the 209
association fails to comply with this paragraph, the application 210
is deemed abandoned and the grant money reverts back to the 211
department. 212
(d) All grants must be matched on the basis of $1 provided 213
by the association for $2 provided by the state up to a maximum 214
contribution as provided in the General Appropriations Act . 215
(e) When recommended by a hurricane mitigation inspection 216
report, grants for eligible associations may be used for the 217
following improvements: 218
1. Opening protection. 219
2. Exterior doors, including garage doors. 220
3. Reinforcing roof -to-wall connections. 221
4. Improving the strength of roof -deck attachments. 222
5. Secondary water barrier for roof. 223
(f) Grants may be used for a previously inspected existing 224
structure on the property or for a rebuild. 225
HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 10 of 12
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
(g)1. If improvements to protect the property which 226
complied with the current applicable building code at the time 227
have been previously installed, the association must use a 228
mitigation grant to install improvements that do both of the 229
following: 230
a. Comply with or exceed the applicable building code in 231
effect at the time the association applied for the grant. 232
b. Provide more hurricane protection than the improvements 233
that the association previously installed. 234
2. The association may not use a mitigation grant to: 235
a. Install the same type of improvement s that were 236
previously installed; or 237
b. Pay a deductible for a pending insurance claim for 238
damage that is part of the property for which grant funds are 239
being received. 240
(h) The department shall develop a process that ensures 241
the most efficient means to collect and verify grant 242
applications to determine eligibility and may direct hurricane 243
mitigation inspectors to collect and verify grant application 244
information or use the Internet or other electronic means to 245
collect information and determine eligibilit y. 246
(6) CONTRACT MANAGEMENT. — 247
(a) The department may contract with third parties for 248
grants management, inspection services, contractor services, 249
information technology, educational outreach, and auditing 250
HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 11 of 12
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
services. Such contracts are considered direct c osts of the 251
pilot program and are not subject to administrative cost limits. 252
The department shall contract with providers that have a 253
demonstrated record of successful business operations in areas 254
directly related to the services to be provided and shall e nsure 255
the highest accountability for use of state funds, consistent 256
with this section. 257
(b) The department shall implement a quality assurance and 258
reinspection program that determines whether initial inspections 259
and mitigation improvements are completed i n a manner consistent 260
with the intent of the pilot program. The department may use a 261
valid random sampling in order to perform the quality assurance 262
portion of the pilot program. 263
(7) REPORTS.—By February 1 of each year, the department 264
shall submit a report to the President of the Senate and the 265
Speaker of the House of Representatives on the activities of the 266
pilot program and the use of state funds. The report must 267
include all of the following information: 268
(a) The number of inspections requested. 269
(b) The number of inspections performed. 270
(c) The number of grant applications received. 271
(d) The number of grants approved and the monetary value 272
of each grant. 273
(e) The estimated average annual amount of insurance 274
premium discounts each association receiv ed and the total 275
HB 1029 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1029-00
Page 12 of 12
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
estimated annual amount of insurance premium discounts received 276
by all associations participating in the pilot program. 277
(f) The estimated average annual amount of insurance 278
premium discounts each unit owner received as a result of the 279
improvements to the building or structure. 280
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 281