Senate Bill 1284c3

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.



    Florida Senate - 1999             CS for CS for CS for SB 1284

    By the Committees on Fiscal Policy; Comprehensive Planning,
    Local and Military Affairs; Regulated Industries; and Senator
    Dyer



    309-2135-99

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to contracting; creating s.

  3         489.13, F.S.; providing for disciplinary

  4         procedures involving a judgment against

  5         construction contractors; creating s. 489.5334,

  6         F.S.; providing disciplinary procedures

  7         involving a judgment against electrical and

  8         alarm system contractors; providing an

  9         effective date.

10

11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

12

13         Section 1.  Section 489.13, Florida Statutes, is

14  created to read:

15         489.13  Disciplinary proceedings involving a

16  judgment.--

17         (1)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this part

18  or chapter 455, this section applies to any disciplinary case

19  that involves any contractor who has an unsatisfied judgment

20  in violation of s. 489.129(1)(q).

21         (2)  The department shall initiate disciplinary

22  proceedings involving an unsatisfied judgment against a

23  contractor when a judgment creditor files with the department:

24         (a)  A complaint on a form prescribed by the board;

25         (b)  A certified copy of the recorded judgment; and

26         (c)  An affidavit signed under oath which states that

27  the judgment arises from the practice of the judgment debtor's

28  profession licensed under this part, that the judgment remains

29  unsatisfied, and that the judgment has been final for more

30  than 30 days.

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    Florida Senate - 1999             CS for CS for CS for SB 1284
    309-2135-99




  1         (3)  Within 20 days after the date the department

  2  receives a completed complaint, a certified copy of the

  3  judgment, and the required affidavit, the department shall

  4  issue and serve on the contractor an order that requires the

  5  contractor to show cause why the contractor's license should

  6  not be suspended until the judgment is satisfied. The

  7  department shall serve the order to show cause in accordance

  8  with s. 489.124(3). The order to show cause shall require the

  9  contractor to respond in writing under oath within 20 days

10  after the date the order is served on the contractor.

11         (4)  If the contractor fails to respond under oath to

12  the order to show cause within the 20-day period, the case

13  shall be referred to the board for final action.

14         (5)  If the contractor responds under oath to the order

15  to show cause within the 20-day period and the contractor does

16  not dispute the allegations in the complaint, the case shall

17  be referred to the board for final action.

18         (6)  Upon a finding of a violation of s. 489.129(1)(q),

19  the board shall suspend the contractor's license until the

20  judgment is satisfied, unless the board finds that aggravating

21  or mitigating factors support a different penalty.

22         (7)  If the contractor responds under oath to the order

23  to show cause within the 20-day period and the response

24  disputes the allegations in the complaint and requests a

25  hearing, the department shall refer the case to an

26  investigator.

27         (8)  The board shall provide the licensee and the

28  judgment creditor with notice of when and where the board will

29  consider taking action on the complaint. The licensee and the

30  judgment creditor may, but are not required to, participate in

31  such a meeting. The board shall provide the licensee and the

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    Florida Senate - 1999             CS for CS for CS for SB 1284
    309-2135-99




  1  judgment creditor with copies of all actions taken by the

  2  board in connection with the disciplinary proceeding.

  3         Section 2.  Section 489.5334, Florida Statutes, is

  4  created to read:

  5         489.5334  Disciplinary proceedings involving a

  6  judgment.--

  7         (1)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this part

  8  or chapter 455, this section applies to any disciplinary case

  9  that involves any contractor who has an unsatisfied judgment

10  in violation of s. 489.533(1)(m)4.

11         (2)  The department shall initiate disciplinary

12  proceedings involving an unsatisfied judgment against a

13  contractor when the judgment creditor files with the

14  department:

15         (a)  A complaint on a form prescribed by the board;

16         (b)  A certified copy of the recorded judgment; and

17         (c)  An affidavit signed under oath which states that

18  the judgment arises from the practice of the judgment debtor's

19  profession licensed under this part, that the judgment remains

20  unsatisfied, and that the judgment has been final for more

21  than 30 days.

22         (3)  Within 20 days after the date the department

23  receives a completed complaint, a certified copy of the

24  judgment, and the required affidavit, the department shall

25  issue and serve on the contractor an order that requires the

26  contractor to show cause why the contractor's license should

27  not be suspended until the judgment is satisfied. The

28  department shall serve the order to show cause in accordance

29  with s. 489.124(3). The order to show cause shall require the

30  contractor to respond in writing under oath within 20 days

31  after the date the order is served on the contractor.

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    Florida Senate - 1999             CS for CS for CS for SB 1284
    309-2135-99




  1         (4)  If the contractor fails to respond under oath to

  2  the order to show cause within the 20-day period, the case

  3  shall be referred to the board for final action.

  4         (5)  If the contractor responds under oath to the order

  5  to show cause within the 20-day period and the contractor does

  6  not dispute the allegations in the complaint, the case shall

  7  be referred to the board for final action.

  8         (6)  Upon a finding of a violation of s.

  9  489.533(1)(m)4., the board shall suspend the contractor's

10  license until the judgment is satisfied, unless the board

11  finds that aggravating or mitigating factors support a

12  different penalty.

13         (7)  If the contractor responds under oath to the order

14  to show cause within the 20-day period and the response

15  disputes the allegations in the complaint and requests a

16  hearing, the department shall refer the case to an

17  investigator.

18         (8)  As used in this part, the term "contractor" refers

19  to any person licensed under chapter 489, part II, regardless

20  of whether that person is performing as a contractor, a

21  subcontractor, or a sub-subcontractor on a project.

22         (9)  The board shall provide the licensee and the

23  judgment creditor with notice of when and where the board will

24  consider action on the complaint. The licensee and the

25  judgment creditor may, but are not required to, participate in

26  such a meeting. The board shall provide the licensee and the

27  judgment creditor with copies of all actions taken by the

28  board in connection with the disciplinary proceeding.

29         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999,

30  and shall apply to judgments entered on or after that date.

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    Florida Senate - 1999             CS for CS for CS for SB 1284
    309-2135-99




  1          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  2                          CS/CS/SB 1284

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  4  Deletes requirement that the Department of Health discipline
    septic tank contractors that violate s. 489.129(1)(q), F.S.,
  5  1998 Supplement, using the procedures set out in section 1 of
    the bill.
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