Legal Update 2020 Summary: Florida Legislature passing several community association related bills this Season  By: Shayla Johnson Mount / Becker

Legal Update 2020 Summary:  Florida Legislature passing several community association related bills this Season

By: Shayla Johnson Mount / Becker

The Florida Legislature was especially busy this past session filing, debating, and ultimately passing several community association related bills. Below is an outline of those bills and the potential impact on your community association this year.

1. Emotional Support Animals – Chapter 2020-76 (Senate Bill 1084) – This long championed and highly anticipated bill managed to make it to the finish line this year to become law on July 1, 2020. This law amends portions of the Florida Fair Housing Act (Chapter 760.20, F.S.) to officially define an “emotional support animal” (“ESA”) and prohibit discrimination in housing against individuals with a disability-related need for an ESA. More specifically, the new law requires a housing provider (which for purposes of the law includes a community association) to make “reasonable accommodations” to allow for the individual’s ESA at no additional cost under certain circumstances. If the person’s disability is not readily apparent, the association can request additional supporting documentation from the person’s health care provider or other proof of disability (i.e.: proof of receipt of federal or state disability benefits). However, an association cannot inquire as to the person’s specific disability.  The new law also makes the individual directly responsible for any personal or property damage the ESA causes and also makes it a second-degree misdemeanor to falsify or misrepresent information or documentation concerning an individual’s need for an ESA.

2. Fireworks – Chapter 2020-11 (Senate Bill 140) – The new law prohibits a homeowners association from passing a board-rule banning the use of fireworks on certain “designated holidays,” including New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and Independence Day. This law does not specifically apply to condominium associations and a homeowners association is still able to amend its Declaration to regulate or limit the use of fireworks within the community.

3. Law Enforcement Vehicles – 2020-5 (Senate Bill 476) – One of the first bills passed and approved by Governor DeSantis this session, is a law that prohibits a condominium, cooperative or homeowners association from prohibiting a law enforcement officer from parking his or her assigned vehicle in an area where the individual would otherwise have the right to park.

4. State Reporting for 55+ Communities – Chapter 2020-153 (Senate Bill 255) – This law removes the requirement that 55+ communities must initially register, and biannually report its compliance status, to the Florida Commission on Human Relations. This bill does not eliminate the need for these communities to comply with federal reporting requirements.

5. Housing Discrimination – Senate Bill 374 – This bill passed the House and Senate but, at the time of this writing, is still pending action by the Governor. If it becomes law, this bill will amend the Marketable Record Title Act  (Chapter 712, F.S.), to automatically extinguish and make void as a matter of law any “discriminatory restriction” on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender or physical disability which are contained in an Association’s recorded governing documents.  The law would allow the board by majority vote to amend its governing documents to remove any such restrictions.

6. Lease Requirements – Chapter 2020-102 (Senate Bill 469) – This law removes the requirement that a lease agreement must be signed by a subscribing witness.

7. Florida Guaranty Insurance Claims – Chapter 2020-155 (House Bill 529) – This bill increases the amount of insurance available through the Florida Guaranty Insurance Fund from $100,000 to $200,000 for each condominium or HOA claim, where the association has the responsibility to insure residential units.

8. Rental Agreements – Chapter 2020-99 (Senate Bill 1362) – Also known as the “Protecting Tenant at Foreclosure Act,” this law requires a party or entity who obtains a property at foreclosure that is subject to a pending lease agreement to provide to the tenant a 90-day notice to vacate.

Thankfully, Senate Bills 295 and 1488 did not pass, both of which would have significantly revised and limited the ability of a condo or homeowners association to bring construction defect claims against developers and builders on behalf of its members.  This year, the legislature revisited the controversial issue of regulating short term vacation rental (i.e.: Airbnb) through consideration of Senate Bill 1128 and House Bill 1011.  These bills would have prohibited cities and counties from passing ordinances regulating or limiting an owner’s ability to use their home or unit as a short-term vacation rental. Although neither bill specifically addressed an association’s ability to pass rules or regulations regarding short-term rentals, it is likely that this issue will return next year for further debate before the Legislature.  Prior to next year’s session, associations that are concerned with short-term rentals in their community should seriously consider amending their governing documents now as future versions of this bill may propose to limit an associations ability to regulate short-term rentals as well.

Shayla J. Mount is an Associate Attorney in Becker’s Community Association Practice Group. She focuses her practice on providing counsel and representation to homeowner and condominium associations throughout Central Florida. An experienced litigator,

she has handled collections litigation and served as general legal counsel for numerous homeowner and condominium association boards throughout Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Duval, and Sarasota Counties. Shayla regularly advises association boards on issues regarding vendor contracts and disputes, document amendments, and covenant enforcement issues.

She also has substantial experience handling a variety of civil litigation issues including small business and contracting actions, foreclosure defense, real estate transactions, and insurance disputes.