CS for CS for CS for SB's 1196 & 1222     Second Engrossed (ntc)
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       20101196e2
       
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to community associations; amending s.
    3         399.02, F.S.; exempting certain elevators from
    4         specific code update requirements; providing a phase
    5         in period for such elevators; amending s. 617.0721,
    6         F.S.; revising the limitations on the right of members
    7         to vote on corporate matters for certain corporations
    8         not for profit that are regulated under ch. 718 or ch.
    9         719, F.S.; amending s. 617.0808, F.S.; excepting
   10         certain corporations not for profit that are an
   11         association as defined in s. 720.301, F.S., or a
   12         corporation regulated under ch. 718 or ch. 719, F.S.,
   13         from certain provisions relating to the removal of a
   14         director; creating s. 617.1606, F.S.; providing that
   15         certain statutory provisions providing for the
   16         inspection of corporate records do not apply to a
   17         corporation not for profit that is an association as
   18         defined in s. 720.301, or a corporation regulated
   19         under ch. 718 or ch. 719, F.S.; creating s. 627.714,
   20         F.S.; requiring that coverage under a unit owner’s
   21         policy for certain assessments include at least a
   22         minimum amount of loss assessment coverage; specifying
   23         the maximum amount of any unit owner’s loss assessment
   24         coverage that can be assessed for any loss; providing
   25         that certain changes to the limits of a unit owner’s
   26         coverage for loss assessments made on or after a
   27         specified period before the date of loss do not apply
   28         to the loss; providing that certain insurers are not
   29         required to pay more than an amount equal to that unit
   30         owner’s loss assessment coverage limit; requiring that
   31         every property insurance policy to an individual unit
   32         owner contain a specified provision; amending s.
   33         633.0215, F.S.; exempting certain residential
   34         buildings from a requirement to install a manual fire
   35         alarm system; amending s. 718.103, F.S.; redefining
   36         the term “developer”; amending s. 718.110, F.S.;
   37         allowing the condominium association to have the
   38         authority to restrict through an amendment to a
   39         declaration of condominium, rather than prohibit, the
   40         rental of condominium units; authorizing the
   41         classification of certain portions of common elements
   42         as limited common elements upon receipt of the
   43         required vote to amend a declaration; providing that
   44         such reclassification is not an amendment pursuant to
   45         specified provisions of state law; amending s.
   46         718.111, F.S.; deleting a requirement for the board of
   47         a condominium to hold a meeting open to unit owners to
   48         establish the amount of an insurance deductible;
   49         revising the property to which a property insurance
   50         policy for a condominium association applies; revising
   51         the requirements for a condominium unit owner’s
   52         property insurance policy; limiting the circumstances
   53         under which a person who violates requirements to
   54         maintain association records may be personally liable
   55         for a civil penalty; providing that a condominium
   56         association is not responsible for the use of certain
   57         information provided to an association member under
   58         certain circumstances; specifying records of a
   59         condominium association which are exempt from a
   60         requirement that records be available for inspection
   61         by an association member; increasing the amount of
   62         time within which a condominium association must
   63         provide unit owners with a copy of the association’s
   64         annual financial report; revising the requirements for
   65         rules relating to the financial report that must be
   66         adopted by the Division of Florida Condominiums,
   67         Timeshares, and Mobile Homes of the Department of
   68         Business and Professional Regulation; revising the
   69         requirements for a financial report based on the
   70         amount of a condominium’s revenues; amending s.
   71         718.112, F.S.; revising provisions relating to the
   72         terms or appointment or election of condominium
   73         members to a board of administration; creating
   74         exceptions to such provisions for condominiums that
   75         contain timeshares; specifying a certification that a
   76         person who is appointed or elected to a board of
   77         administration must make or educational requirements
   78         such board member must satisfy; conforming cross
   79         references to changes made by the act; deleting a
   80         provision prohibiting an association from foregoing
   81         the retrofitting with a fire sprinkler system of
   82         common areas in a high-rise building; prohibiting
   83         local authorities having jurisdiction from requiring
   84         retrofitting with a sprinkler system or other
   85         engineered lifesafety system before a specified date;
   86         requiring that certain associations initiate, before a
   87         specified date, an application for a building permit
   88         for the required fire sprinkler installation with the
   89         local government having jurisdiction demonstrating
   90         that the association will be in compliance with
   91         certain firesafety requirements by a specified date;
   92         authorizing an association to forgo retrofitting under
   93         certain circumstances; providing requirements for a
   94         special meeting of unit owners which may be called
   95         every 3 years in order to vote to forgo retrofitting
   96         of the sprinkler system or other engineered lifesafety
   97         systems; providing meeting notice requirements;
   98         expanding the monetary obligations that a director or
   99         officer must satisfy to avoid abandoning his or her
  100         office; amending s. 718.115, F.S.; specifying certain
  101         services provided in a declaration of condominium
  102         which are obtained pursuant to a bulk contract to be
  103         deemed a common expense; specifying provisions that
  104         must be contained in a bulk contract; specifying
  105         cancellation procedures for bulk contracts; amending
  106         s. 718.116, F.S.; increasing the period of accrual of
  107         certain assessments used to determine the amount of
  108         limited liability of certain first mortgagees or their
  109         successors or assignees; requiring a tenant in a unit
  110         owned by a person who is delinquent in the payment of
  111         a monetary obligation to the condominium association
  112         to pay rent to the association under certain
  113         circumstances; authorizing the condominium association
  114         to sue such tenant who fails to pay rent for eviction
  115         under certain circumstances; providing that the tenant
  116         is immune from claims from the unit owner as the
  117         result of paying rent to the association under certain
  118         circumstances; amending s. 718.117, F.S.; revising the
  119         circumstances under which a condominium association
  120         may be terminated due to economic waste or
  121         impossibility; revising provisions specifying the
  122         effect of a termination of condominium; amending s.
  123         718.202, F.S.; authorizing the deposit of certain
  124         funds into multiple escrow accounts; requiring that an
  125         escrow agent maintain separate accounting records for
  126         each purchaser under certain circumstances; amending
  127         s. 718.301, F.S.; revising conditions under which unit
  128         owners other than the developer may elect at least a
  129         majority of the members of the board of administration
  130         of an association; amending s. 718.303, F.S.;
  131         authorizing an association to suspend for a reasonable
  132         time the right of a unit owner or the unit’s occupant,
  133         licensee, or invitee to use certain common elements
  134         under certain circumstances; prohibiting a fine from
  135         being levied or a suspension from being imposed unless
  136         the association meets certain requirements for notice
  137         and provides an opportunity for a hearing; authorizing
  138         an association to suspend voting rights of a member
  139         due to nonpayment of assessments, fines, or other
  140         charges under certain circumstances; amending s.
  141         718.501, F.S.; specifying that the jurisdiction of the
  142         Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and
  143         Mobile Homes includes bulk assignees and bulk buyers;
  144         creating part VII of ch. 718, F.S.; creating the
  145         “Distressed Condominium Relief Act”; providing
  146         legislative findings and intent; defining the terms
  147         “bulk assignee” and “bulk buyer”; providing for the
  148         assignment of developer rights by a bulk assignee;
  149         specifying liabilities of bulk assignees and bulk
  150         buyers; providing exceptions; providing additional
  151         responsibilities of bulk assignees and bulk buyers;
  152         authorizing certain entities to assign developer
  153         rights to a bulk assignee; limiting the number of bulk
  154         assignees at any given time; providing for the
  155         transfer of control of a board of administration to
  156         unit owners; providing effects of such transfer on
  157         parcels acquired by a bulk assignee; providing
  158         obligations of a bulk assignee upon the transfer of
  159         control of a board of administration; requiring that a
  160         bulk assignee certify certain information in writing;
  161         providing for the resolution of a conflict between
  162         specified provisions of state law; providing that the
  163         failure of a bulk assignee or bulk buyer to comply
  164         with specified provisions of state law results in the
  165         loss of certain protections and exemptions; requiring
  166         that a bulk assignee or bulk buyer file certain
  167         information with the Division of Florida Condominiums,
  168         Timeshares, and Mobile Homes of the Department of
  169         Business and Professional Regulation before offering
  170         any units for sale or lease in excess of a specified
  171         term; requiring that a copy of such information be
  172         provided to a prospective purchaser or tenant;
  173         requiring that certain contracts and disclosure
  174         statements contain specified statements; requiring
  175         that a bulk assignee or bulk buyer comply with certain
  176         disclosure requirements; prohibiting a bulk assignee
  177         from authorizing certain actions on behalf of an
  178         association while the bulk assignee is in control of
  179         the board of administration of the association;
  180         requiring that a bulk assignee or bulk buyer comply
  181         with certain laws with respect to contracts entered
  182         into by the association while the bulk assignee or
  183         bulk buyer was in control of the board of
  184         administration; providing parcel owners with specified
  185         protections regarding certain contracts; requiring
  186         that a bulk buyer comply with certain requirements
  187         regarding the transfer of a parcel; prohibiting a
  188         person from being classified as a bulk assignee or
  189         bulk buyer unless condominium parcels were acquired
  190         before a specified date; providing that the assignment
  191         of developer rights to a bulk assignee does not
  192         release a developer from certain liabilities; amending
  193         s. 719.106, F.S.; providing for the filling of
  194         vacancies on the condominium board of administration;
  195         amending s. 719.1055, F.S.; providing an additional
  196         required provision in cooperative bylaws; deleting a
  197         provision prohibiting an association from foregoing
  198         the retrofitting with a fire sprinkler system of
  199         common areas in a high-rise building; prohibiting
  200         local authorities having jurisdiction from requiring
  201         retrofitting with a sprinkler system or other
  202         engineered lifesafety system before a specified date;
  203         providing requirements for a special meeting of unit
  204         owners which may be called every 3 years in order to
  205         vote to require retrofitting of the sprinkler system
  206         or other engineered lifesafety system; providing
  207         meeting notice requirements; amending s. 719.108,
  208         F.S.; providing a prioritized list for disbursement of
  209         payments received by an association; providing for a
  210         lien by an association on a condominium unit for
  211         certain fees and costs; providing procedures and
  212         notice requirements for the filing of a lien by an
  213         association; requiring a tenant in a unit owned by a
  214         person who is delinquent in the payment of a monetary
  215         obligation to the condominium association to pay rent
  216         to the association under certain circumstances;
  217         amending s. 720.303, F.S.; revising provisions
  218         relating to homeowners’ association board meetings,
  219         inspection and copying of records, and reserve
  220         accounts of budgets; expanding the list of association
  221         records that are not accessible to members and parcel
  222         owners; prohibiting certain association personnel from
  223         receiving a salary or compensation; providing
  224         exceptions; amending s. 720.304, F.S.; providing that
  225         a flagpole and any flagpole display are subject to
  226         certain codes and regulations; amending s. 720.305,
  227         F.S.; authorizing the association to suspend rights to
  228         use common areas and facilities if the member is
  229         delinquent on the payment of a monetary obligation due
  230         for a certain period of time; providing procedures and
  231         notice requirements for levying a fine or imposing a
  232         suspension; amending s. 720.306, F.S.; providing
  233         requirements for secret ballots; providing procedures
  234         for filling a vacancy on the board of directors;
  235         amending s. 720.3085, F.S.; requiring a tenant in a
  236         property owned by a person who is delinquent in the
  237         payment of a monetary obligation to the condominium
  238         association to pay rent to the association under
  239         certain circumstances; amending s. 720.31, F.S.;
  240         authorizing an association to enter into certain
  241         agreements to use lands or facilities; requiring that
  242         certain items be stated and fully described in the
  243         declaration; limiting an association’s power to enter
  244         into such agreements after a specified period
  245         following the recording of a declaration; requiring
  246         that certain agreements be approved by a specified
  247         percentage of voting interests of an association when
  248         the declaration is silent as to the authority of an
  249         association to enter into such agreement; authorizing
  250         an association to join with other associations or a
  251         master association under certain circumstances and for
  252         specified purposes; creating s. 720.315, F.S.;
  253         prohibiting the board of directors of a homeowners’
  254         association from levying a special assessment before
  255         turnover of the association by the developer unless
  256         certain conditions are met; providing an effective
  257         date.
  258  
  259  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
  260  
  261         Section 1. Subsection (8) is added to section 399.02,
  262  Florida Statutes, to read:
  263         399.02 General requirements.—
  264         (8) Updates to the code requiring modifications for Phase
  265  II Firefighters’ Service on existing elevators, as amended into
  266  the Safety Code for Existing Elevators and Escalators, ASME
  267  A17.1 and A17.3, may not be enforced on elevators in
  268  condominiums, cooperatives, or multifamily residential buildings
  269  issued a certificate of occupancy by the local building
  270  authority as of July 1, 2008, for 5 years or until the elevator
  271  is replaced or requires major modification, whichever occurs
  272  first. This exception does not apply to a building for which a
  273  certificate of occupancy was issued after July 1, 2008. This
  274  exception does not prevent an elevator owner from requesting a
  275  variance from the applicable codes before or after the
  276  expiration of the 5-year term. This subsection does not prohibit
  277  the division from granting variances pursuant to s. 120.542. The
  278  division shall adopt rules to administer this subsection.
  279         Section 2. Subsection (7) of section 617.0721, Florida
  280  Statutes, is amended to read:
  281         617.0721 Voting by members.—
  282         (7) Subsections (1), (2), (5), and (6) do not apply to a
  283  corporation that is an association, as defined in s. 720.301, or
  284  a corporation regulated by chapter 718 or chapter 719.
  285         Section 3. Subsection (3) is added to section 617.0808,
  286  Florida Statutes, to read:
  287         617.0808 Removal of directors.—
  288         (3) This section does not apply to any corporation that is
  289  an association, as defined in s. 720.301, or a corporation
  290  regulated under chapter 718 or chapter 719.
  291         Section 4. Section 617.1606, Florida Statutes, is created
  292  to read:
  293         617.1606Access to records.—Sections 617.1601-617.1605 do
  294  not apply to a corporation that is an association, as defined in
  295  s. 720.301, or a corporation regulated under chapter 718 or
  296  chapter 719.
  297         Section 5. Section 627.714, Florida Statutes, is created to
  298  read:
  299         627.714Residential condominium unit owner coverage; loss
  300  assessment coverage required.—
  301         (1) For policies issued or renewed on or after July 1,
  302  2010, coverage under a unit owner’s residential property policy
  303  must include at least $2,000 in property loss assessment
  304  coverage for all assessments made as a result of the same direct
  305  loss to the property, regardless of the number of assessments,
  306  owned by all members of the association collectively if such
  307  loss is of the type of loss covered by the unit owner’s
  308  residential property insurance policy, to which a deductible of
  309  no more than $250 per direct property loss applies. If a
  310  deductible was or will be applied to other property loss
  311  sustained by the unit owner resulting from the same direct loss
  312  to the property, no deductible applies to the loss assessment
  313  coverage.
  314         (2) The maximum amount of any unit owner’s loss assessment
  315  coverage that can be assessed for any loss shall be an amount
  316  equal to that unit owner’s loss assessment coverage limit in
  317  effect one day before the date of the occurrence. Any changes to
  318  the limits of a unit owner’s coverage for loss assessments made
  319  on or after the day before the date of the occurrence are not
  320  applicable to such loss.
  321         (3) Regardless of the number of assessments, an insurer
  322  providing loss assessment coverage to a unit owner is not
  323  required to pay more than an amount equal to that unit owner’s
  324  loss assessment coverage limit as a result of the same direct
  325  loss to property.
  326         (4) Every individual unit owner’s residential property
  327  policy must contain a provision stating that the coverage
  328  afforded by such policy is excess coverage over the amount
  329  recoverable under any other policy covering the same property.
  330         Section 6. Subsection (13) is added to section 633.0215,
  331  Florida Statutes, to read:
  332         633.0215 Florida Fire Prevention Code.—
  333         (13) A condominium, cooperative, or multifamily residential
  334  building that is less than four stories in height and has a
  335  corridor providing an exterior means of egress is exempt from
  336  the requirement to install a manual fire alarm system under s.
  337  9.6 of the Life Safety Code adopted in the Florida Fire
  338  Prevention Code.
  339         Section 7. Subsection (16) of section 718.103, Florida
  340  Statutes, is amended to read:
  341         718.103 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:
  342         (16) “Developer” means a person who creates a condominium
  343  or offers condominium parcels for sale or lease in the ordinary
  344  course of business, but does not include:
  345         (a) An owner or lessee of a condominium or cooperative unit
  346  who has acquired the unit for his or her own occupancy;, nor
  347  does it include
  348         (b) A cooperative association that which creates a
  349  condominium by conversion of an existing residential cooperative
  350  after control of the association has been transferred to the
  351  unit owners if, following the conversion, the unit owners are
  352  will be the same persons who were unit owners of the cooperative
  353  and no units are offered for sale or lease to the public as part
  354  of the plan of conversion;.
  355         (c)A bulk assignee or bulk buyer as defined in s. 718.703;
  356  or
  357         (d) A state, county, or municipal entity is not a developer
  358  for any purposes under this act when it is acting as a lessor
  359  and not otherwise named as a developer in the declaration of
  360  condominium association.
  361         Section 8. Subsection (13) of section 718.110, Florida
  362  Statutes, is amended, and subsection (14) is added to that
  363  section, to read:
  364         718.110 Amendment of declaration; correction of error or
  365  omission in declaration by circuit court.—
  366         (13) An Any amendment prohibiting restricting unit owners
  367  from renting their units or altering the duration of the rental
  368  term or specifying or limiting the number of times unit owners
  369  are entitled to rent their units during a specified period
  370  owners’ rights relating to the rental of units applies only to
  371  unit owners who consent to the amendment and unit owners who
  372  acquire title to purchase their units after the effective date
  373  of that amendment.
  374         (14) Except for those portions of the common elements
  375  designed and intended to be used by all unit owners, a portion
  376  of the common elements serving only one unit or a group of units
  377  may be reclassified as a limited common element upon the vote
  378  required to amend the declaration as provided therein or as
  379  required under paragraph (1)(a), and shall not be considered an
  380  amendment pursuant to subsection (4). This is a clarification of
  381  existing law.
  382         Section 9. Paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (f), (g), (j),
  383  and (n) of subsection (11) and subsections (12) and (13) of
  384  section 718.111, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  385         718.111 The association.—
  386         (11) INSURANCE.—In order to protect the safety, health, and
  387  welfare of the people of the State of Florida and to ensure
  388  consistency in the provision of insurance coverage to
  389  condominiums and their unit owners, this subsection applies to
  390  every residential condominium in the state, regardless of the
  391  date of its declaration of condominium. It is the intent of the
  392  Legislature to encourage lower or stable insurance premiums for
  393  associations described in this subsection.
  394         (a) Adequate property hazard insurance, regardless of any
  395  requirement in the declaration of condominium for coverage by
  396  the association for full insurable value, replacement cost, or
  397  similar coverage, must shall be based on upon the replacement
  398  cost of the property to be insured as determined by an
  399  independent insurance appraisal or update of a prior appraisal.
  400  The replacement cost must full insurable value shall be
  401  determined at least once every 36 months.
  402         1. An association or group of associations may provide
  403  adequate property hazard insurance through a self-insurance fund
  404  that complies with the requirements of ss. 624.460-624.488.
  405         2. The association may also provide adequate property
  406  hazard insurance coverage for a group of at least no fewer than
  407  three communities created and operating under this chapter,
  408  chapter 719, chapter 720, or chapter 721 by obtaining and
  409  maintaining for such communities insurance coverage sufficient
  410  to cover an amount equal to the probable maximum loss for the
  411  communities for a 250-year windstorm event. Such probable
  412  maximum loss must be determined through the use of a competent
  413  model that has been accepted by the Florida Commission on
  414  Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology. A No policy or program
  415  providing such coverage may not shall be issued or renewed after
  416  July 1, 2008, unless it has been reviewed and approved by the
  417  Office of Insurance Regulation. The review and approval must
  418  shall include approval of the policy and related forms pursuant
  419  to ss. 627.410 and 627.411, approval of the rates pursuant to s.
  420  627.062, a determination that the loss model approved by the
  421  commission was accurately and appropriately applied to the
  422  insured structures to determine the 250-year probable maximum
  423  loss, and a determination that complete and accurate disclosure
  424  of all material provisions is provided to condominium unit
  425  owners before prior to execution of the agreement by a
  426  condominium association.
  427         3. When determining the adequate amount of property hazard
  428  insurance coverage, the association may consider deductibles as
  429  determined by this subsection.
  430         (b) If an association is a developer-controlled
  431  association, the association shall exercise its best efforts to
  432  obtain and maintain insurance as described in paragraph (a).
  433  Failure to obtain and maintain adequate property hazard
  434  insurance during any period of developer control constitutes a
  435  breach of fiduciary responsibility by the developer-appointed
  436  members of the board of directors of the association, unless the
  437  members can show that despite such failure, they have made their
  438  best efforts to maintain the required coverage.
  439         (c) Policies may include deductibles as determined by the
  440  board.
  441         1. The deductibles must shall be consistent with industry
  442  standards and prevailing practice for communities of similar
  443  size and age, and having similar construction and facilities in
  444  the locale where the condominium property is situated.
  445         2. The deductibles may be based upon available funds,
  446  including reserve accounts, or predetermined assessment
  447  authority at the time the insurance is obtained.
  448         3. The board shall establish the amount of deductibles
  449  based upon the level of available funds and predetermined
  450  assessment authority at a meeting of the board. Such meeting
  451  shall be open to all unit owners in the manner set forth in s.
  452  718.112(2)(e). The notice of such meeting must state the
  453  proposed deductible and the available funds and the assessment
  454  authority relied upon by the board and estimate any potential
  455  assessment amount against each unit, if any. The meeting
  456  described in this paragraph may be held in conjunction with a
  457  meeting to consider the proposed budget or an amendment thereto.
  458         (d) An association controlled by unit owners operating as a
  459  residential condominium shall use its best efforts to obtain and
  460  maintain adequate property insurance to protect the association,
  461  the association property, the common elements, and the
  462  condominium property that must is required to be insured by the
  463  association pursuant to this subsection.
  464         (f) Every property hazard insurance policy issued or
  465  renewed on or after January 1, 2009, for the purpose of
  466  protecting the condominium must shall provide primary coverage
  467  for:
  468         1. All portions of the condominium property as originally
  469  installed or replacement of like kind and quality, in accordance
  470  with the original plans and specifications.
  471         2. All alterations or additions made to the condominium
  472  property or association property pursuant to s. 718.113(2).
  473         3. The coverage must shall exclude all personal property
  474  within the unit or limited common elements, and floor, wall, and
  475  ceiling coverings, electrical fixtures, appliances, water
  476  heaters, water filters, built-in cabinets and countertops, and
  477  window treatments, including curtains, drapes, blinds, hardware,
  478  and similar window treatment components, or replacements of any
  479  of the foregoing which are located within the boundaries of the
  480  unit and serve only such unit. Such property and any insurance
  481  thereupon is the responsibility of the unit owner.
  482         (g) A condominium unit owner’s policy must conform to the
  483  requirements of s. 627.714. Every hazard insurance policy issued
  484  or renewed on or after January 1, 2009, to an individual unit
  485  owner must contain a provision stating that the coverage
  486  afforded by such policy is excess coverage over the amount
  487  recoverable under any other policy covering the same property.
  488  Such policies must include special assessment coverage of no
  489  less than $2,000 per occurrence. An insurance policy issued to
  490  an individual unit owner providing such coverage does not
  491  provide rights of subrogation against the condominium
  492  association operating the condominium in which such individual’s
  493  unit is located.
  494         1. All improvements or additions to the condominium
  495  property that benefit fewer than all unit owners shall be
  496  insured by the unit owner or owners having the use thereof, or
  497  may be insured by the association at the cost and expense of the
  498  unit owners having the use thereof.
  499         2. The association shall require each owner to provide
  500  evidence of a currently effective policy of hazard and liability
  501  insurance upon request, but not more than once per year. Upon
  502  the failure of an owner to provide a certificate of insurance
  503  issued by an insurer approved to write such insurance in this
  504  state within 30 days after the date on which a written request
  505  is delivered, the association may purchase a policy of insurance
  506  on behalf of an owner. The cost of such a policy, together with
  507  reconstruction costs undertaken by the association but which are
  508  the responsibility of the unit owner, may be collected in the
  509  manner provided for the collection of assessments in s. 718.116.
  510         1.3. All reconstruction work after a property casualty loss
  511  must shall be undertaken by the association except as otherwise
  512  authorized in this section. A unit owner may undertake
  513  reconstruction work on portions of the unit with the prior
  514  written consent of the board of administration. However, such
  515  work may be conditioned upon the approval of the repair methods,
  516  the qualifications of the proposed contractor, or the contract
  517  that is used for that purpose. A unit owner must shall obtain
  518  all required governmental permits and approvals before prior to
  519  commencing reconstruction.
  520         2.4. Unit owners are responsible for the cost of
  521  reconstruction of any portions of the condominium property for
  522  which the unit owner is required to carry property casualty
  523  insurance, and any such reconstruction work undertaken by the
  524  association is shall be chargeable to the unit owner and
  525  enforceable as an assessment pursuant to s. 718.116. The
  526  association must be an additional named insured and loss payee
  527  on all casualty insurance policies issued to unit owners in the
  528  condominium operated by the association.
  529         3.5. A multicondominium association may elect, by a
  530  majority vote of the collective members of the condominiums
  531  operated by the association, to operate the such condominiums as
  532  a single condominium for purposes of insurance matters,
  533  including, but not limited to, the purchase of the property
  534  hazard insurance required by this section and the apportionment
  535  of deductibles and damages in excess of coverage. The election
  536  to aggregate the treatment of insurance premiums, deductibles,
  537  and excess damages constitutes an amendment to the declaration
  538  of all condominiums operated by the association, and the costs
  539  of insurance must shall be stated in the association budget. The
  540  amendments must shall be recorded as required by s. 718.110.
  541         (j) Any portion of the condominium property that must
  542  required to be insured by the association against property
  543  casualty loss pursuant to paragraph (f) which is damaged by
  544  casualty shall be reconstructed, repaired, or replaced as
  545  necessary by the association as a common expense. All property
  546  hazard insurance deductibles, uninsured losses, and other
  547  damages in excess of property hazard insurance coverage under
  548  the property hazard insurance policies maintained by the
  549  association are a common expense of the condominium, except
  550  that:
  551         1. A unit owner is responsible for the costs of repair or
  552  replacement of any portion of the condominium property not paid
  553  by insurance proceeds, if such damage is caused by intentional
  554  conduct, negligence, or failure to comply with the terms of the
  555  declaration or the rules of the association by a unit owner, the
  556  members of his or her family, unit occupants, tenants, guests,
  557  or invitees, without compromise of the subrogation rights of the
  558  any insurer as set forth in paragraph (g).
  559         2. The provisions of subparagraph 1. regarding the
  560  financial responsibility of a unit owner for the costs of
  561  repairing or replacing other portions of the condominium
  562  property also apply to the costs of repair or replacement of
  563  personal property of other unit owners or the association, as
  564  well as other property, whether real or personal, which the unit
  565  owners are required to insure under paragraph (g).
  566         3. To the extent the cost of repair or reconstruction for
  567  which the unit owner is responsible under this paragraph is
  568  reimbursed to the association by insurance proceeds, and, to the
  569  extent the association has collected the cost of such repair or
  570  reconstruction from the unit owner, the association shall
  571  reimburse the unit owner without the waiver of any rights of
  572  subrogation.
  573         4. The association is not obligated to pay for
  574  reconstruction or repairs of property casualty losses as a
  575  common expense if the property casualty losses were known or
  576  should have been known to a unit owner and were not reported to
  577  the association until after the insurance claim of the
  578  association for that property casualty was settled or resolved
  579  with finality, or denied because on the basis that it was
  580  untimely filed.
  581         (n) The association is not obligated to pay for any
  582  reconstruction or repair expenses due to property casualty loss
  583  to any improvements installed by a current or former owner of
  584  the unit or by the developer if the improvement benefits only
  585  the unit for which it was installed and is not part of the
  586  standard improvements installed by the developer on all units as
  587  part of original construction, whether or not such improvement
  588  is located within the unit. This paragraph does not relieve any
  589  party of its obligations regarding recovery due under any
  590  insurance implemented specifically for any such improvements.
  591         (12) OFFICIAL RECORDS.—
  592         (a) From the inception of the association, the association
  593  shall maintain each of the following items, if when applicable,
  594  which shall constitute the official records of the association:
  595         1. A copy of the plans, permits, warranties, and other
  596  items provided by the developer pursuant to s. 718.301(4).
  597         2. A photocopy of the recorded declaration of condominium
  598  of each condominium operated by the association and of each
  599  amendment to each declaration.
  600         3. A photocopy of the recorded bylaws of the association
  601  and of each amendment to the bylaws.
  602         4. A certified copy of the articles of incorporation of the
  603  association, or other documents creating the association, and of
  604  each amendment thereto.
  605         5. A copy of the current rules of the association.
  606         6. A book or books which contain the minutes of all
  607  meetings of the association, of the board of administration, and
  608  of unit owners, which minutes must shall be retained for at
  609  least a period of not less than 7 years.
  610         7. A current roster of all unit owners and their mailing
  611  addresses, unit identifications, voting certifications, and, if
  612  known, telephone numbers. The association shall also maintain
  613  the electronic mailing addresses and the numbers designated by
  614  unit owners for receiving notice sent by electronic transmission
  615  of those unit owners consenting to receive notice by electronic
  616  transmission. The electronic mailing addresses and telephone
  617  numbers must provided by unit owners to receive notice by
  618  electronic transmission shall be removed from association
  619  records if when consent to receive notice by electronic
  620  transmission is revoked. However, the association is not liable
  621  for an erroneous disclosure of the electronic mail address or
  622  the number for receiving electronic transmission of notices.
  623         8. All current insurance policies of the association and
  624  condominiums operated by the association.
  625         9. A current copy of any management agreement, lease, or
  626  other contract to which the association is a party or under
  627  which the association or the unit owners have an obligation or
  628  responsibility.
  629         10. Bills of sale or transfer for all property owned by the
  630  association.
  631         11. Accounting records for the association and separate
  632  accounting records for each condominium which the association
  633  operates. All accounting records shall be maintained for at
  634  least a period of not less than 7 years. Any person who
  635  knowingly or intentionally defaces or destroys accounting
  636  records required to be created and maintained by this chapter
  637  during the period for which such records are required to be
  638  maintained, or who knowingly or intentionally fails to create or
  639  maintain such accounting records required to be maintained by
  640  this chapter, with the intent of causing harm to the association
  641  or one or more of its members, is personally subject to a civil
  642  penalty pursuant to s. 718.501(1)(d). The accounting records
  643  must shall include, but are not limited to:
  644         a. Accurate, itemized, and detailed records of all receipts
  645  and expenditures.
  646         b. A current account and a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly
  647  statement of the account for each unit designating the name of
  648  the unit owner, the due date and amount of each assessment, the
  649  amount paid upon the account, and the balance due.
  650         c. All audits, reviews, accounting statements, and
  651  financial reports of the association or condominium.
  652         d. All contracts for work to be performed. Bids for work to
  653  be performed are shall also be considered official records and
  654  must shall be maintained by the association.
  655         12. Ballots, sign-in sheets, voting proxies, and all other
  656  papers relating to voting by unit owners, which must shall be
  657  maintained for a period of 1 year from the date of the election,
  658  vote, or meeting to which the document relates, notwithstanding
  659  paragraph (b).
  660         13. All rental records if, when the association is acting
  661  as agent for the rental of condominium units.
  662         14. A copy of the current question and answer sheet as
  663  described in by s. 718.504.
  664         15. All other records of the association not specifically
  665  included in the foregoing which are related to the operation of
  666  the association.
  667         16. A copy of the inspection report as provided for in s.
  668  718.301(4)(p).
  669         (b) The official records of the association must shall be
  670  maintained within the state for at least 7 years. The records of
  671  the association shall be made available to a unit owner within
  672  45 miles of the condominium property or within the county in
  673  which the condominium property is located within 5 working days
  674  after receipt of a written request by the board or its designee.
  675  However, such distance requirement does not apply to an
  676  association governing a timeshare condominium. This paragraph
  677  may be complied with by having a copy of the official records of
  678  the association available for inspection or copying on the
  679  condominium property or association property, or the association
  680  may offer the option of making the records of the association
  681  available to a unit owner either electronically via the Internet
  682  or by allowing the records to be viewed in electronic format on
  683  a computer screen and printed upon request. The association is
  684  not responsible for the use or misuse of the information
  685  provided to an association member or his or her authorized
  686  representative pursuant to the compliance requirements of this
  687  chapter unless the association has an affirmative duty not to
  688  disclose such information pursuant to this chapter.
  689         (c) The official records of the association are open to
  690  inspection by any association member or the authorized
  691  representative of such member at all reasonable times. The right
  692  to inspect the records includes the right to make or obtain
  693  copies, at the reasonable expense, if any, of the association
  694  member. The association may adopt reasonable rules regarding the
  695  frequency, time, location, notice, and manner of record
  696  inspections and copying. The failure of an association to
  697  provide the records within 10 working days after receipt of a
  698  written request creates shall create a rebuttable presumption
  699  that the association willfully failed to comply with this
  700  paragraph. A unit owner who is denied access to official records
  701  is entitled to the actual damages or minimum damages for the
  702  association’s willful failure to comply with this paragraph. The
  703  Minimum damages shall be $50 per calendar day up to 10 days, the
  704  calculation to begin on the 11th working day after receipt of
  705  the written request. The failure to permit inspection of the
  706  association records as provided herein entitles any person
  707  prevailing in an enforcement action to recover reasonable
  708  attorney’s fees from the person in control of the records who,
  709  directly or indirectly, knowingly denied access to the records
  710  for inspection. Any person who knowingly or intentionally
  711  defaces or destroys accounting records that are required by this
  712  chapter to be maintained during the period for which such
  713  records are required to be maintained, or who knowingly or
  714  intentionally fails to create or maintain accounting records
  715  that are required to be created or maintained by this chapter,
  716  with the intent of causing harm to the association or one or
  717  more of its members, is personally subject to a civil penalty
  718  pursuant to s. 718.501(1)(d). The association shall maintain an
  719  adequate number of copies of the declaration, articles of
  720  incorporation, bylaws, and rules, and all amendments to each of
  721  the foregoing, as well as the question and answer sheet provided
  722  for in s. 718.504 and year-end financial information required in
  723  this section, on the condominium property to ensure their
  724  availability to unit owners and prospective purchasers, and may
  725  charge its actual costs for preparing and furnishing these
  726  documents to those requesting the documents same.
  727  Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the following
  728  records are shall not be accessible to unit owners:
  729         1. Any record protected by the lawyer-client privilege as
  730  described in s. 90.502; and any record protected by the work
  731  product privilege, including any record prepared by an
  732  association attorney or prepared at the attorney’s express
  733  direction; which reflects a mental impression, conclusion,
  734  litigation strategy, or legal theory of the attorney or the
  735  association, and which was prepared exclusively for civil or
  736  criminal litigation or for adversarial administrative
  737  proceedings, or which was prepared in anticipation of imminent
  738  civil or criminal litigation or imminent adversarial
  739  administrative proceedings until the conclusion of the
  740  litigation or adversarial administrative proceedings.
  741         2. Information obtained by an association in connection
  742  with the approval of the lease, sale, or other transfer of a
  743  unit.
  744         3.Personnel records of association employees, including,
  745  but not limited to, disciplinary, payroll, health, and insurance
  746  records.
  747         4.3. Medical records of unit owners.
  748         5.4. Social security numbers, driver’s license numbers,
  749  credit card numbers, e-mail addresses, telephone numbers,
  750  emergency contact information, any addresses of a unit owner
  751  other than as provided to fulfill the association’s notice
  752  requirements, and other personal identifying information of any
  753  person, excluding the person’s name, unit designation, mailing
  754  address, and property address.
  755         6.Any electronic security measure that is used by the
  756  association to safeguard data, including passwords.
  757         7.The software and operating system used by the
  758  association which allows manipulation of data, even if the owner
  759  owns a copy of the same software used by the association. The
  760  data is part of the official records of the association.
  761         (13) FINANCIAL REPORTING.—Within 90 days after the end of
  762  the fiscal year, or annually on a date provided in the bylaws,
  763  the association shall prepare and complete, or contract for the
  764  preparation and completion of, a financial report for the
  765  preceding fiscal year. Within 21 days after the final financial
  766  report is completed by the association or received from the
  767  third party, but not later than 120 days after the end of the
  768  fiscal year or other date as provided in the bylaws, the
  769  association shall mail to each unit owner at the address last
  770  furnished to the association by the unit owner, or hand deliver
  771  to each unit owner, a copy of the financial report or a notice
  772  that a copy of the financial report will be mailed or hand
  773  delivered to the unit owner, without charge, upon receipt of a
  774  written request from the unit owner. The division shall adopt
  775  rules setting forth uniform accounting principles and standards
  776  to be used by all associations and shall adopt rules addressing
  777  the financial reporting requirements for multicondominium
  778  associations. The rules must shall include, but not be limited
  779  to, standards for presenting a summary of association reserves,
  780  including a good faith estimate disclosing the annual amount of
  781  reserve funds that would be necessary for the association to
  782  fully fund reserves for each reserve item based on the straight
  783  line accounting method. This disclosure is not applicable to
  784  reserves funded via the pooling method. uniform accounting
  785  principles and standards for stating the disclosure of at least
  786  a summary of the reserves, including information as to whether
  787  such reserves are being funded at a level sufficient to prevent
  788  the need for a special assessment and, if not, the amount of
  789  assessments necessary to bring the reserves up to the level
  790  necessary to avoid a special assessment. The person preparing
  791  the financial reports shall be entitled to rely on an inspection
  792  report prepared for or provided to the association to meet the
  793  fiscal and fiduciary standards of this chapter. In adopting such
  794  rules, the division shall consider the number of members and
  795  annual revenues of an association. Financial reports shall be
  796  prepared as follows:
  797         (a) An association that meets the criteria of this
  798  paragraph shall prepare or cause to be prepared a complete set
  799  of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted
  800  accounting principles. The financial statements must shall be
  801  based upon the association’s total annual revenues, as follows:
  802         1. An association with total annual revenues of $100,000 or
  803  more, but less than $200,000, shall prepare compiled financial
  804  statements.
  805         2. An association with total annual revenues of at least
  806  $200,000, but less than $400,000, shall prepare reviewed
  807  financial statements.
  808         3. An association with total annual revenues of $400,000 or
  809  more shall prepare audited financial statements.
  810         (b)1. An association with total annual revenues of less
  811  than $100,000 shall prepare a report of cash receipts and
  812  expenditures.
  813         2. An association that which operates fewer less than 75 50
  814  units, regardless of the association’s annual revenues, shall
  815  prepare a report of cash receipts and expenditures in lieu of
  816  financial statements required by paragraph (a).
  817         3. A report of cash receipts and disbursements must
  818  disclose the amount of receipts by accounts and receipt
  819  classifications and the amount of expenses by accounts and
  820  expense classifications, including, but not limited to, the
  821  following, as applicable: costs for security, professional and
  822  management fees and expenses, taxes, costs for recreation
  823  facilities, expenses for refuse collection and utility services,
  824  expenses for lawn care, costs for building maintenance and
  825  repair, insurance costs, administration and salary expenses, and
  826  reserves accumulated and expended for capital expenditures,
  827  deferred maintenance, and any other category for which the
  828  association maintains reserves.
  829         (c) An association may prepare or cause to be prepared,
  830  without a meeting of or approval by the unit owners:
  831         1. Compiled, reviewed, or audited financial statements, if
  832  the association is required to prepare a report of cash receipts
  833  and expenditures;
  834         2. Reviewed or audited financial statements, if the
  835  association is required to prepare compiled financial
  836  statements; or
  837         3. Audited financial statements if the association is
  838  required to prepare reviewed financial statements.
  839         (d) If approved by a majority of the voting interests
  840  present at a properly called meeting of the association, an
  841  association may prepare or cause to be prepared:
  842         1. A report of cash receipts and expenditures in lieu of a
  843  compiled, reviewed, or audited financial statement;
  844         2. A report of cash receipts and expenditures or a compiled
  845  financial statement in lieu of a reviewed or audited financial
  846  statement; or
  847         3. A report of cash receipts and expenditures, a compiled
  848  financial statement, or a reviewed financial statement in lieu
  849  of an audited financial statement.
  850  
  851  Such meeting and approval must occur before prior to the end of
  852  the fiscal year and is effective only for the fiscal year in
  853  which the vote is taken, except that the approval may also may
  854  be effective for the following fiscal year. With respect to an
  855  association to which the developer has not turned over control
  856  of the association, all unit owners, including the developer,
  857  may vote on issues related to the preparation of financial
  858  reports for the first 2 fiscal years of the association’s
  859  operation, beginning with the fiscal year in which the
  860  declaration is recorded. Thereafter, all unit owners except the
  861  developer may vote on such issues until control is turned over
  862  to the association by the developer. Any audit or review
  863  prepared under this section shall be paid for by the developer
  864  if done before prior to turnover of control of the association.
  865  An association may not waive the financial reporting
  866  requirements of this section for more than 3 consecutive years.
  867         Section 10. Paragraphs (d), (l), (n), and (o) of subsection
  868  (2) of section 718.112, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  869         718.112 Bylaws.—
  870         (2) REQUIRED PROVISIONS.—The bylaws shall provide for the
  871  following and, if they do not do so, shall be deemed to include
  872  the following:
  873         (d) Unit owner meetings.—
  874         1. There shall be An annual meeting of the unit owners
  875  shall be held at the location provided in the association bylaws
  876  and, if the bylaws are silent as to the location, the meeting
  877  shall be held within 45 miles of the condominium property.
  878  However, such distance requirement does not apply to an
  879  association governing a timeshare condominium. Unless the bylaws
  880  provide otherwise, a vacancy on the board caused by the
  881  expiration of a director’s term shall be filled by electing a
  882  new board member, and the election must shall be by secret
  883  ballot.; However, if the number of vacancies equals or exceeds
  884  the number of candidates, an no election is not required. Except
  885  in a timeshare condominium, the terms of all members of the
  886  board shall expire at the annual meeting and such board members
  887  may stand for reelection unless otherwise permitted by the
  888  bylaws. If In the event that the bylaws permit staggered terms
  889  of no more than 2 years and upon approval of a majority of the
  890  total voting interests, the association board members may serve
  891  2-year staggered terms. If the number of board members whose
  892  terms have expired exceeds the number of eligible members
  893  showing interest in or demonstrating an intention to run for the
  894  vacant positions no person is interested in or demonstrates an
  895  intention to run for the position of a board member whose term
  896  has expired according to the provisions of this subparagraph,
  897  each such board member whose term has expired is eligible for
  898  reappointment shall be automatically reappointed to the board of
  899  administration and need not stand for reelection. In a
  900  condominium association of more than 10 units or in a
  901  condominium association that does not include timeshare units or
  902  timeshare interests, coowners of a unit may not serve as members
  903  of the board of directors at the same time unless they own more
  904  than one unit or unless there are not enough eligible candidates
  905  to fill the vacancies on the board at the time of the vacancy.
  906  Any unit owner desiring to be a candidate for board membership
  907  must shall comply with sub-subparagraph subparagraph 3.a. A
  908  person who has been suspended or removed by the division under
  909  this chapter, or who is delinquent in the payment of any fee,
  910  fine, or special or regular assessment as provided in paragraph
  911  (n), is not eligible for board membership. A person who has been
  912  convicted of any felony in this state or in a United States
  913  District or Territorial Court, or who has been convicted of any
  914  offense in another jurisdiction that would be considered a
  915  felony if committed in this state, is not eligible for board
  916  membership unless such felon’s civil rights have been restored
  917  for at least a period of no less than 5 years as of the date on
  918  which such person seeks election to the board. The validity of
  919  an action by the board is not affected if it is later determined
  920  that a member of the board is ineligible for board membership
  921  due to having been convicted of a felony.
  922         2. The bylaws must shall provide the method of calling
  923  meetings of unit owners, including annual meetings. Written
  924  notice, which notice must include an agenda, shall be mailed,
  925  hand delivered, or electronically transmitted to each unit owner
  926  at least 14 days before prior to the annual meeting and must
  927  shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the condominium
  928  property at least 14 continuous days preceding the annual
  929  meeting. Upon notice to the unit owners, the board shall, by
  930  duly adopted rule, designate a specific location on the
  931  condominium property or association property upon which all
  932  notices of unit owner meetings shall be posted.; However, if
  933  there is no condominium property or association property upon
  934  which notices can be posted, this requirement does not apply. In
  935  lieu of or in addition to the physical posting of meeting
  936  notices notice of any meeting of the unit owners on the
  937  condominium property, the association may, by reasonable rule,
  938  adopt a procedure for conspicuously posting and repeatedly
  939  broadcasting the notice and the agenda on a closed-circuit cable
  940  television system serving the condominium association. However,
  941  if broadcast notice is used in lieu of a notice posted
  942  physically on the condominium property, the notice and agenda
  943  must be broadcast at least four times every broadcast hour of
  944  each day that a posted notice is otherwise required under this
  945  section. If When broadcast notice is provided, the notice and
  946  agenda must be broadcast in a manner and for a sufficient
  947  continuous length of time so as to allow an average reader to
  948  observe the notice and read and comprehend the entire content of
  949  the notice and the agenda. Unless a unit owner waives in writing
  950  the right to receive notice of the annual meeting, such notice
  951  must shall be hand delivered, mailed, or electronically
  952  transmitted to each unit owner. Notice for meetings and notice
  953  for all other purposes must shall be mailed to each unit owner
  954  at the address last furnished to the association by the unit
  955  owner, or hand delivered to each unit owner. However, if a unit
  956  is owned by more than one person, the association shall provide
  957  notice, for meetings and all other purposes, to that one address
  958  which the developer initially identifies for that purpose and
  959  thereafter as one or more of the owners of the unit shall so
  960  advise the association in writing, or if no address is given or
  961  the owners of the unit do not agree, to the address provided on
  962  the deed of record. An officer of the association, or the
  963  manager or other person providing notice of the association
  964  meeting, shall provide an affidavit or United States Postal
  965  Service certificate of mailing, to be included in the official
  966  records of the association affirming that the notice was mailed
  967  or hand delivered, in accordance with this provision.
  968         3. The members of the board shall be elected by written
  969  ballot or voting machine. Proxies may not shall in no event be
  970  used in electing the board, either in general elections or
  971  elections to fill vacancies caused by recall, resignation, or
  972  otherwise, unless otherwise provided in this chapter.
  973         a. At least Not less than 60 days before a scheduled
  974  election, the association shall mail, deliver, or electronically
  975  transmit, whether by separate association mailing or included in
  976  another association mailing, delivery, or transmission,
  977  including regularly published newsletters, to each unit owner
  978  entitled to a vote, a first notice of the date of the election
  979  along with a certification form provided by the division
  980  attesting that he or she has read and understands, to the best
  981  of his or her ability, the governing documents of the
  982  association and the provisions of this chapter and any
  983  applicable rules. Any unit owner or other eligible person
  984  desiring to be a candidate for the board must give written
  985  notice of his or her intent to be a candidate to the association
  986  at least not less than 40 days before a scheduled election.
  987  Together with the written notice and agenda as set forth in
  988  subparagraph 2., the association shall mail, deliver, or
  989  electronically transmit a second notice of the election to all
  990  unit owners entitled to vote therein, together with a ballot
  991  that lists which shall list all candidates. Upon request of a
  992  candidate, the association shall include an information sheet,
  993  no larger than 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches, which must be
  994  furnished by the candidate at least not less than 35 days before
  995  the election, must along with the signed certification form
  996  provided for in this subparagraph, to be included with the
  997  mailing, delivery, or transmission of the ballot, with the costs
  998  of mailing, delivery, or electronic transmission and copying to
  999  be borne by the association. The association is not liable for
 1000  the contents of the information sheets prepared by the
 1001  candidates. In order to reduce costs, the association may print
 1002  or duplicate the information sheets on both sides of the paper.
 1003  The division shall by rule establish voting procedures
 1004  consistent with this sub-subparagraph the provisions contained
 1005  herein, including rules establishing procedures for giving
 1006  notice by electronic transmission and rules providing for the
 1007  secrecy of ballots. Elections shall be decided by a plurality of
 1008  those ballots cast. There is shall be no quorum requirement;
 1009  however, at least 20 percent of the eligible voters must cast a
 1010  ballot in order to have a valid election of members of the
 1011  board. A No unit owner may not shall permit any other person to
 1012  vote his or her ballot, and any such ballots improperly cast are
 1013  shall be deemed invalid, provided any unit owner who violates
 1014  this provision may be fined by the association in accordance
 1015  with s. 718.303. A unit owner who needs assistance in casting
 1016  the ballot for the reasons stated in s. 101.051 may obtain such
 1017  assistance in casting the ballot. The regular election must
 1018  shall occur on the date of the annual meeting. The provisions of
 1019  This sub-subparagraph does subparagraph shall not apply to
 1020  timeshare condominium associations. Notwithstanding the
 1021  provisions of this sub-subparagraph subparagraph, an election is
 1022  not required unless more candidates file notices of intent to
 1023  run or are nominated than board vacancies exist.
 1024         b.Within 90 days after being elected or appointed to the
 1025  board, each newly elected or appointed director shall certify in
 1026  writing to the secretary of the association that he or she has
 1027  read the association’s declaration of condominium, articles of
 1028  incorporation, bylaws, and current written policies; that he or
 1029  she will work to uphold such documents and policies to the best
 1030  of his or her ability; and that he or she will faithfully
 1031  discharge his or her fiduciary responsibility to the
 1032  association’s members. In lieu of this written certification,
 1033  the newly elected or appointed director may submit a certificate
 1034  of satisfactory completion of the educational curriculum
 1035  administered by a division-approved condominium education
 1036  provider. A director who fails to timely file the written
 1037  certification or educational certificate is suspended from
 1038  service on the board until he or she complies with this sub
 1039  subparagraph. The board may temporarily fill the vacancy during
 1040  the period of suspension. The secretary shall cause the
 1041  association to retain a director’s written certification or
 1042  educational certificate for inspection by the members for 5
 1043  years after a director’s election. Failure to have such written
 1044  certification or educational certificate on file does not affect
 1045  the validity of any action.
 1046         4. Any approval by unit owners called for by this chapter
 1047  or the applicable declaration or bylaws, including, but not
 1048  limited to, the approval requirement in s. 718.111(8), shall be
 1049  made at a duly noticed meeting of unit owners and is shall be
 1050  subject to all requirements of this chapter or the applicable
 1051  condominium documents relating to unit owner decisionmaking,
 1052  except that unit owners may take action by written agreement,
 1053  without meetings, on matters for which action by written
 1054  agreement without meetings is expressly allowed by the
 1055  applicable bylaws or declaration or any statute that provides
 1056  for such action.
 1057         5. Unit owners may waive notice of specific meetings if
 1058  allowed by the applicable bylaws or declaration or any statute.
 1059  If authorized by the bylaws, notice of meetings of the board of
 1060  administration, unit owner meetings, except unit owner meetings
 1061  called to recall board members under paragraph (j), and
 1062  committee meetings may be given by electronic transmission to
 1063  unit owners who consent to receive notice by electronic
 1064  transmission.
 1065         6. Unit owners shall have the right to participate in
 1066  meetings of unit owners with reference to all designated agenda
 1067  items. However, the association may adopt reasonable rules
 1068  governing the frequency, duration, and manner of unit owner
 1069  participation.
 1070         7. Any unit owner may tape record or videotape a meeting of
 1071  the unit owners subject to reasonable rules adopted by the
 1072  division.
 1073         8. Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, any vacancy
 1074  occurring on the board before the expiration of a term may be
 1075  filled by the affirmative vote of the majority of the remaining
 1076  directors, even if the remaining directors constitute less than
 1077  a quorum, or by the sole remaining director. In the alternative,
 1078  a board may hold an election to fill the vacancy, in which case
 1079  the election procedures must conform to the requirements of sub
 1080  subparagraph subparagraph 3.a. unless the association governs 10
 1081  units or fewer less and has opted out of the statutory election
 1082  process, in which case the bylaws of the association control.
 1083  Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, a board member
 1084  appointed or elected under this section shall fill the vacancy
 1085  for the unexpired term of the seat being filled. Filling
 1086  vacancies created by recall is governed by paragraph (j) and
 1087  rules adopted by the division.
 1088  
 1089  Notwithstanding subparagraph subparagraphs (b)2. and sub
 1090  subparagraph (d)3.a., an association of 10 or fewer units may,
 1091  by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total voting
 1092  interests, provide for different voting and election procedures
 1093  in its bylaws, which vote may be by a proxy specifically
 1094  delineating the different voting and election procedures. The
 1095  different voting and election procedures may provide for
 1096  elections to be conducted by limited or general proxy.
 1097         (l) Certificate of compliance.There shall be A provision
 1098  that a certificate of compliance from a licensed electrical
 1099  contractor or electrician may be accepted by the association’s
 1100  board as evidence of compliance of the condominium units with
 1101  the applicable fire and life safety code must be included.
 1102  Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 633 or of any other
 1103  code, statute, ordinance, administrative rule, or regulation, or
 1104  any interpretation of the foregoing, an association,
 1105  condominium, or unit owner is not obligated to retrofit the
 1106  common elements, association property, or units of a residential
 1107  condominium with a fire sprinkler system or other engineered
 1108  lifesafety system in a building that has been certified for
 1109  occupancy by the applicable governmental entity, if the unit
 1110  owners have voted to forego such retrofitting and engineered
 1111  lifesafety system by the affirmative vote of a majority two
 1112  thirds of all voting interests in the affected condominium.
 1113  However, a condominium association may not vote to forego the
 1114  retrofitting with a fire sprinkler system of common areas in a
 1115  high-rise building. For purposes of this subsection, the term
 1116  “high-rise building” means a building that is greater than 75
 1117  feet in height where the building height is measured from the
 1118  lowest level of fire department access to the floor of the
 1119  highest occupiable story. For purposes of this subsection, the
 1120  term “common areas” means any enclosed hallway, corridor, lobby,
 1121  stairwell, or entryway. In no event shall The local authority
 1122  having jurisdiction may not require completion of retrofitting
 1123  of common areas with a fire sprinkler system before the end of
 1124  2019 2014. By December 31, 2016, an association that is not in
 1125  compliance with the requirements for a fire sprinkler system and
 1126  has not voted to forego retrofitting of such a system must
 1127  initiate an application for a building permit for the required
 1128  installation with the local government having jurisdiction
 1129  demonstrating that the association will become compliant by
 1130  December 31, 2019.
 1131         1. A vote to forego retrofitting may be obtained by limited
 1132  proxy or by a ballot personally cast at a duly called membership
 1133  meeting, or by execution of a written consent by the member, and
 1134  is shall be effective upon the recording of a certificate
 1135  attesting to such vote in the public records of the county where
 1136  the condominium is located. The association shall mail or, hand
 1137  deliver, or electronically transmit to each unit owner written
 1138  notice at least 14 days before the prior to such membership
 1139  meeting in which the vote to forego retrofitting of the required
 1140  fire sprinkler system is to take place. Within 30 days after the
 1141  association’s opt-out vote, notice of the results of the opt-out
 1142  vote must shall be mailed or, hand delivered, or electronically
 1143  transmitted to all unit owners. Evidence of compliance with this
 1144  30-day notice requirement must shall be made by an affidavit
 1145  executed by the person providing the notice and filed among the
 1146  official records of the association. After such notice is
 1147  provided to each owner, a copy must of such notice shall be
 1148  provided by the current owner to a new owner before prior to
 1149  closing and shall be provided by a unit owner to a renter before
 1150  prior to signing a lease.
 1151         2. If there has been a previous vote to forego
 1152  retrofitting, a vote to require retrofitting may be obtained at
 1153  a special meeting of the unit owners called by a petition of at
 1154  least 10 percent of the voting interests. Such a vote may only
 1155  be called once every 3 years. Notice shall be provided as
 1156  required for any regularly called meeting of the unit owners,
 1157  and must state the purpose of the meeting. Electronic
 1158  transmission may not be used to provide notice of a meeting
 1159  called in whole or in part for this purpose.
 1160         3.2. As part of the information collected annually from
 1161  condominiums, the division shall require condominium
 1162  associations to report the membership vote and recording of a
 1163  certificate under this subsection and, if retrofitting has been
 1164  undertaken, the per-unit cost of such work. The division shall
 1165  annually report to the Division of State Fire Marshal of the
 1166  Department of Financial Services the number of condominiums that
 1167  have elected to forego retrofitting.
 1168         4. Notwithstanding s. 553.509, an association may not be
 1169  obligated to, and may forego the retrofitting of, any
 1170  improvements required by s. 553.509(2) upon an affirmative vote
 1171  of a majority of the voting interests in the affected
 1172  condominium.
 1173         (n) Director or officer delinquencies.—A director or
 1174  officer more than 90 days delinquent in the payment of any
 1175  monetary obligation due the association regular assessments
 1176  shall be deemed to have abandoned the office, creating a vacancy
 1177  in the office to be filled according to law.
 1178         (o) Director or officer offenses.—A director or officer
 1179  charged by information or indictment with a felony theft or
 1180  embezzlement offense involving the association’s funds or
 1181  property must shall be removed from office, creating a vacancy
 1182  in the office to be filled according to law until the end of the
 1183  period of the suspension or the end of the director’s term of
 1184  office, whichever occurs first. While such director or officer
 1185  has such criminal charge pending, he or she may not be appointed
 1186  or elected to a position as a director or officer. However, if
 1187  should the charges are be resolved without a finding of guilt,
 1188  the director or officer shall be reinstated for the remainder of
 1189  his or her term of office, if any.
 1190         Section 11. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section
 1191  718.115, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 1192         718.115 Common expenses and common surplus.—
 1193         (1)
 1194         (d) If so provided in the declaration, the cost of
 1195  communications services as defined in chapter 202, information
 1196  services, or Internet services a master antenna television
 1197  system or duly franchised cable television service obtained
 1198  pursuant to a bulk contract is shall be deemed a common expense.
 1199  If the declaration does not provide for the cost of such
 1200  services a master antenna television system or duly franchised
 1201  cable television service obtained under a bulk contract as a
 1202  common expense, the board may enter into such a contract, and
 1203  the cost of the service will be a common expense. The cost for
 1204  the services under a bulk-rate contract may be but allocated on
 1205  a per-unit basis rather than a percentage basis if the
 1206  declaration provides for other than an equal sharing of common
 1207  expenses, and any contract entered into before July 1, 1998, in
 1208  which the cost of the service is not equally divided among all
 1209  unit owners, may be changed by vote of a majority of the voting
 1210  interests present at a regular or special meeting of the
 1211  association, to allocate the cost equally among all units. The
 1212  contract must be for at least shall be for a term of not less
 1213  than 2 years.
 1214         1. Any contract made by the board on or after July 1, 1998,
 1215  the effective date hereof for a community antenna system or duly
 1216  franchised cable television service may be canceled by a
 1217  majority of the voting interests present at the next regular or
 1218  special meeting of the association. Any member may make a motion
 1219  to cancel the said contract, but if no motion is made or if such
 1220  motion fails to obtain the required majority at the next regular
 1221  or special meeting, whichever occurs first is sooner, following
 1222  the making of the contract, then such contract shall be deemed
 1223  ratified for the term therein expressed.
 1224         2. Any Such contract must shall provide, and is shall be
 1225  deemed to provide if not expressly set forth, that any hearing
 1226  impaired or legally blind unit owner who does not occupy the
 1227  unit with a non-hearing-impaired or sighted person, or any unit
 1228  owner receiving supplemental security income under Title XVI of
 1229  the Social Security Act or food stamps as administered by the
 1230  Department of Children and Family Services pursuant to s.
 1231  414.31, may discontinue the cable or video service without
 1232  incurring disconnect fees, penalties, or subsequent service
 1233  charges, and, as to such units, the owners are shall not be
 1234  required to pay any common expenses charge related to such
 1235  service. If fewer less than all members of an association share
 1236  the expenses of cable or video service television, the expense
 1237  shall be shared equally by all participating unit owners. The
 1238  association may use the provisions of s. 718.116 to enforce
 1239  payment of the shares of such costs by the unit owners receiving
 1240  cable or video service television.
 1241         Section 12. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1), subsection
 1242  (3), and paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section 718.116,
 1243  Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (11) is added to
 1244  that section, to read:
 1245         718.116 Assessments; liability; lien and priority;
 1246  interest; collection.—
 1247         (1)
 1248         (b) The liability of a first mortgagee or its successor or
 1249  assignees who acquire title to a unit by foreclosure or by deed
 1250  in lieu of foreclosure for the unpaid assessments that became
 1251  due before prior to the mortgagee’s acquisition of title is
 1252  limited to the lesser of:
 1253         1. The unit’s unpaid common expenses and regular periodic
 1254  assessments which accrued or came due during the 12 6 months
 1255  immediately preceding the acquisition of title and for which
 1256  payment in full has not been received by the association; or
 1257         2. One percent of the original mortgage debt. The
 1258  provisions of this paragraph apply only if the first mortgagee
 1259  joined the association as a defendant in the foreclosure action.
 1260  Joinder of the association is not required if, on the date the
 1261  complaint is filed, the association was dissolved or did not
 1262  maintain an office or agent for service of process at a location
 1263  which was known to or reasonably discoverable by the mortgagee.
 1264         (3) Assessments and installments on assessments them which
 1265  are not paid when due bear interest at the rate provided in the
 1266  declaration, from the due date until paid. This rate may not
 1267  exceed the rate allowed by law, and, if no rate is provided in
 1268  the declaration, interest accrues shall accrue at the rate of 18
 1269  percent per year. Also, if provided by the declaration or bylaws
 1270  so provide, the association may, in addition to such interest,
 1271  charge an administrative late fee of up to in addition to such
 1272  interest, in an amount not to exceed the greater of $25 or 5
 1273  percent of each installment of the assessment for each
 1274  delinquent installment for which that the payment is late. Any
 1275  payment received by an association must shall be applied first
 1276  to any interest accrued by the association, then to any
 1277  administrative late fee, then to any costs and reasonable
 1278  attorney’s fees incurred in collection, and then to the
 1279  delinquent assessment. The foregoing is shall be applicable
 1280  notwithstanding any restrictive endorsement, designation, or
 1281  instruction placed on or accompanying a payment. A late fee is
 1282  shall not be subject to the provisions in chapter 687 or s.
 1283  718.303(3).
 1284         (5)
 1285         (b) To be valid, a claim of lien must state the description
 1286  of the condominium parcel, the name of the record owner, the
 1287  name and address of the association, the amount due, and the due
 1288  dates. It must be executed and acknowledged by an officer or
 1289  authorized agent of the association. The No such lien is not
 1290  shall be effective longer than 1 year after the claim of lien
 1291  was recorded unless, within that time, an action to enforce the
 1292  lien is commenced. The 1-year period is shall automatically be
 1293  extended for any length of time during which the association is
 1294  prevented from filing a foreclosure action by an automatic stay
 1295  resulting from a bankruptcy petition filed by the parcel owner
 1296  or any other person claiming an interest in the parcel. The
 1297  claim of lien secures shall secure all unpaid assessments that
 1298  which are due and that which may accrue after subsequent to the
 1299  recording of the claim of lien is recorded and through prior to
 1300  the entry of a final judgment certificate of title, as well as
 1301  interest and all reasonable costs and attorney’s fees incurred
 1302  by the association incident to the collection process. Upon
 1303  payment in full, the person making the payment is entitled to a
 1304  satisfaction of the lien.
 1305  
 1306  After notice of contest of lien has been recorded, the clerk of
 1307  the circuit court shall mail a copy of the recorded notice to
 1308  the association by certified mail, return receipt requested, at
 1309  the address shown in the claim of lien or most recent amendment
 1310  to it and shall certify to the service on the face of the
 1311  notice. Service is complete upon mailing. After service, the
 1312  association has 90 days in which to file an action to enforce
 1313  the lien; and, if the action is not filed within the 90-day
 1314  period, the lien is void. However, the 90-day period shall be
 1315  extended for any length of time that the association is
 1316  prevented from filing its action because of an automatic stay
 1317  resulting from the filing of a bankruptcy petition by the unit
 1318  owner or by any other person claiming an interest in the parcel.
 1319         (11)If the unit is occupied by a tenant and the unit owner
 1320  is delinquent in paying any monetary obligation due to the
 1321  association, the association may make a written demand that the
 1322  tenant pay the future monetary obligations related to the
 1323  condominium unit to the association, and the tenant must make
 1324  such payment. The demand is continuing in nature and, upon
 1325  demand, the tenant must pay the monetary obligations to the
 1326  association until the association releases the tenant or the
 1327  tenant discontinues tenancy in the unit. The association must
 1328  mail written notice to the unit owner of the association’s
 1329  demand that the tenant make payments to the association. The
 1330  association shall, upon request, provide the tenant with written
 1331  receipts for payments made. A tenant who acts in good faith in
 1332  response to a written demand from an association is immune from
 1333  any claim from the unit owner.
 1334         (a) If the tenant prepaid rent to the unit owner before
 1335  receiving the demand from the association and provides written
 1336  evidence of paying the rent to the association within 14 days
 1337  after receiving the demand, the tenant shall receive credit for
 1338  the prepaid rent for the applicable period and must make any
 1339  subsequent rental payments to the association to be credited
 1340  against the monetary obligations of the unit owner to the
 1341  association.
 1342         (b) The tenant is not liable for increases in the amount of
 1343  the monetary obligations due unless the tenant was notified in
 1344  writing of the increase at least 10 days before the date the
 1345  rent is due. The liability of the tenant may not exceed the
 1346  amount due from the tenant to the tenant’s landlord. The
 1347  tenant’s landlord shall provide the tenant a credit against
 1348  rents due to the unit owner in the amount of monies paid to the
 1349  association under this section.
 1350         (c) The association may issue notices under s. 83.56 and
 1351  may sue for eviction under ss. 83.59-83.625 as if the
 1352  association were a landlord under part II of chapter 83 if the
 1353  tenant fails to pay a required payment to the association.
 1354  However, the association is not otherwise considered a landlord
 1355  under chapter 83 and specifically has no duties under s. 83.51.
 1356         (d) The tenant does not, by virtue of payment of monetary
 1357  obligations to the association, have any of the rights of a unit
 1358  owner to vote in any election or to examine the books and
 1359  records of the association.
 1360         (e) A court may supersede the effect of this subsection by
 1361  appointing a receiver.
 1362         Section 13. Subsections (2) and (19) of section 718.117,
 1363  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 1364         718.117 Termination of condominium.—
 1365         (2) TERMINATION BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC WASTE OR
 1366  IMPOSSIBILITY.—
 1367         (a) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the
 1368  declaration, the condominium form of ownership of a property may
 1369  be terminated by a plan of termination approved by the lesser of
 1370  the lowest percentage of voting interests necessary to amend the
 1371  declaration or as otherwise provided in the declaration for
 1372  approval of termination if when:
 1373         1. The total estimated cost of construction or repairs
 1374  necessary to construct the intended improvements or restore the
 1375  improvements to their former condition or bring them into
 1376  compliance with applicable laws or regulations exceeds the
 1377  combined fair market value of the all units in the condominium
 1378  after completion of the construction or repairs; or
 1379         2. It becomes impossible to operate or reconstruct a
 1380  condominium to in its prior physical configuration because of
 1381  land use laws or regulations.
 1382         (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a condominium in which
 1383  75 percent or more of the units are timeshare units may be
 1384  terminated only pursuant to a plan of termination approved by 80
 1385  percent of the total voting interests of the association and the
 1386  holders of 80 percent of the original principal amount of
 1387  outstanding recorded mortgage liens of timeshare estates in the
 1388  condominium, unless the declaration provides for a lower voting
 1389  percentage.
 1390         (19) CREATION OF ANOTHER CONDOMINIUM.—The termination of a
 1391  condominium does not bar the filing of a declaration of
 1392  condominium or an amended and restated declaration of
 1393  condominium creation by the termination trustee of another
 1394  condominium affecting any portion of the same property.
 1395         Section 14. Subsection (11) is added to section 718.202,
 1396  Florida Statutes, to read:
 1397         718.202 Sales or reservation deposits prior to closing.—
 1398         (11) All funds deposited into escrow pursuant to subsection
 1399  (1) or subsection (2) may be held in one or more escrow accounts
 1400  by the escrow agent. If only one escrow account is used, the
 1401  escrow agent must maintain separate accounting records for each
 1402  purchaser and for amounts separately covered under subsections
 1403  (1) and (2) and, if applicable, released to the developer
 1404  pursuant to subsection (3). Separate accounting by the escrow
 1405  agent of the escrow funds constitutes compliance with this
 1406  section even if the funds are held by the escrow agent in a
 1407  single escrow account. It is the intent of this subsection to
 1408  clarify existing law.
 1409         Section 15. Subsection (1) of section 718.301, Florida
 1410  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1411         718.301 Transfer of association control; claims of defect
 1412  by association.—
 1413         (1) If When unit owners other than the developer own 15
 1414  percent or more of the units in a condominium that will be
 1415  operated ultimately by an association, the unit owners other
 1416  than the developer are shall be entitled to elect at least no
 1417  less than one-third of the members of the board of
 1418  administration of the association. Unit owners other than the
 1419  developer are entitled to elect at least not less than a
 1420  majority of the members of the board of administration of an
 1421  association:
 1422         (a) Three years after 50 percent of the units that will be
 1423  operated ultimately by the association have been conveyed to
 1424  purchasers;
 1425         (b) Three months after 90 percent of the units that will be
 1426  operated ultimately by the association have been conveyed to
 1427  purchasers;
 1428         (c) When all the units that will be operated ultimately by
 1429  the association have been completed, some of them have been
 1430  conveyed to purchasers, and none of the others are being offered
 1431  for sale by the developer in the ordinary course of business;
 1432         (d) When some of the units have been conveyed to purchasers
 1433  and none of the others are being constructed or offered for sale
 1434  by the developer in the ordinary course of business;
 1435         (e) When the developer files a petition seeking protection
 1436  in bankruptcy;
 1437         (f) When a receiver for the developer is appointed by a
 1438  circuit court and is not discharged within 30 days after such
 1439  appointment, unless the court determines within 30 days after
 1440  appointment of the receiver that transfer of control would be
 1441  detrimental to the association or its members; or
 1442         (g) Seven years after recordation of the declaration of
 1443  condominium; or, in the case of an association that which may
 1444  ultimately operate more than one condominium, 7 years after
 1445  recordation of the declaration for the first condominium it
 1446  operates; or, in the case of an association operating a phase
 1447  condominium created pursuant to s. 718.403, 7 years after
 1448  recordation of the declaration creating the initial phase,
 1449  whichever occurs first. The developer is entitled to elect at
 1450  least one member of the board of administration of an
 1451  association as long as the developer holds for sale in the
 1452  ordinary course of business at least 5 percent, in condominiums
 1453  with fewer than 500 units, and 2 percent, in condominiums with
 1454  more than 500 units, of the units in a condominium operated by
 1455  the association. After Following the time the developer
 1456  relinquishes control of the association, the developer may
 1457  exercise the right to vote any developer-owned units in the same
 1458  manner as any other unit owner except for purposes of
 1459  reacquiring control of the association or selecting the majority
 1460  members of the board of administration.
 1461         Section 16. Section 718.303, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1462  to read:
 1463         718.303 Obligations of owners and occupants; remedies
 1464  waiver; levy of fine against unit by association.—
 1465         (1) Each unit owner, each tenant and other invitee, and
 1466  each association is shall be governed by, and must shall comply
 1467  with the provisions of, this chapter, the declaration, the
 1468  documents creating the association, and the association bylaws
 1469  which and the provisions thereof shall be deemed expressly
 1470  incorporated into any lease of a unit. Actions for damages or
 1471  for injunctive relief, or both, for failure to comply with these
 1472  provisions may be brought by the association or by a unit owner
 1473  against:
 1474         (a) The association.
 1475         (b) A unit owner.
 1476         (c) Directors designated by the developer, for actions
 1477  taken by them before prior to the time control of the
 1478  association is assumed by unit owners other than the developer.
 1479         (d) Any director who willfully and knowingly fails to
 1480  comply with these provisions.
 1481         (e) Any tenant leasing a unit, and any other invitee
 1482  occupying a unit.
 1483  
 1484  The prevailing party in any such action or in any action in
 1485  which the purchaser claims a right of voidability based upon
 1486  contractual provisions as required in s. 718.503(1)(a) is
 1487  entitled to recover reasonable attorney’s fees. A unit owner
 1488  prevailing in an action between the association and the unit
 1489  owner under this section, in addition to recovering his or her
 1490  reasonable attorney’s fees, may recover additional amounts as
 1491  determined by the court to be necessary to reimburse the unit
 1492  owner for his or her share of assessments levied by the
 1493  association to fund its expenses of the litigation. This relief
 1494  does not exclude other remedies provided by law. Actions arising
 1495  under this subsection may shall not be deemed to be actions for
 1496  specific performance.
 1497         (2) A provision of this chapter may not be waived if the
 1498  waiver would adversely affect the rights of a unit owner or the
 1499  purpose of the provision, except that unit owners or members of
 1500  a board of administration may waive notice of specific meetings
 1501  in writing if provided by the bylaws. Any instruction given in
 1502  writing by a unit owner or purchaser to an escrow agent may be
 1503  relied upon by an escrow agent, whether or not such instruction
 1504  and the payment of funds thereunder might constitute a waiver of
 1505  any provision of this chapter.
 1506         (3) If a unit owner is delinquent for more than 90 days in
 1507  paying a monetary obligation due to the association the
 1508  declaration or bylaws so provide, the association may suspend
 1509  the right of a unit owner or a unit’s occupant, licensee, or
 1510  invitee to use common elements, common facilities, or any other
 1511  association property until the monetary obligation is paid. This
 1512  subsection does not apply to limited common elements intended to
 1513  be used only by that unit, common elements that must be used to
 1514  access the unit, utility services provided to the unit, parking
 1515  spaces, or elevators. The association may also levy reasonable
 1516  fines against a unit for the failure of the owner of the unit,
 1517  or its occupant, licensee, or invitee, to comply with any
 1518  provision of the declaration, the association bylaws, or
 1519  reasonable rules of the association. A No fine does not will
 1520  become a lien against a unit. A No fine may not exceed $100 per
 1521  violation. However, a fine may be levied on the basis of each
 1522  day of a continuing violation, with a single notice and
 1523  opportunity for hearing. However, the provided that no such fine
 1524  may not shall in the aggregate exceed $1,000. A No fine may not
 1525  be levied and a suspension may not be imposed unless the
 1526  association first provides at least 14 days’ written except
 1527  after giving reasonable notice and an opportunity for a hearing
 1528  to the unit owner and, if applicable, its occupant, licensee, or
 1529  invitee. The hearing must be held before a committee of other
 1530  unit owners who are neither board members nor persons residing
 1531  in a board member’s household. If the committee does not agree
 1532  with the fine or suspension, the fine or suspension may not be
 1533  levied or imposed. The provisions of this subsection do not
 1534  apply to unoccupied units.
 1535         (4)The notice and hearing requirements of subsection (3)
 1536  do not apply to the imposition of suspensions or fines against a
 1537  unit owner or a unit’s occupant, licensee, or invitee because of
 1538  failing to pay any amounts due the association. If such a fine
 1539  or suspension is imposed, the association must levy the fine or
 1540  impose a reasonable suspension at a properly noticed board
 1541  meeting, and after the imposition of such fine or suspension,
 1542  the association must notify the unit owner and, if applicable,
 1543  the unit’s occupant, licensee, or invitee by mail or hand
 1544  delivery.
 1545         (5)An association may also suspend the voting rights of a
 1546  member due to nonpayment of any monetary obligation due to the
 1547  association which is more than 90 days delinquent. The
 1548  suspension ends upon full payment of all obligations currently
 1549  due or overdue the association.
 1550         Section 17. Subsection (1) of section 718.501, Florida
 1551  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1552         718.501 Authority, responsibility, and duties of Division
 1553  of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes.—
 1554         (1) The division may of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares,
 1555  and Mobile Homes of the Department of Business and Professional
 1556  Regulation, referred to as the “division” in this part, has the
 1557  power to enforce and ensure compliance with the provisions of
 1558  this chapter and rules relating to the development,
 1559  construction, sale, lease, ownership, operation, and management
 1560  of residential condominium units. In performing its duties, the
 1561  division has complete jurisdiction to investigate complaints and
 1562  enforce compliance with the provisions of this chapter with
 1563  respect to associations that are still under developer control
 1564  or the control of a bulk assignee or bulk buyer pursuant to part
 1565  VII of this chapter and complaints against developers, bulk
 1566  assignees, or bulk buyers involving improper turnover or failure
 1567  to turnover, pursuant to s. 718.301. However, after turnover has
 1568  occurred, the division has shall only have jurisdiction to
 1569  investigate complaints related only to financial issues,
 1570  elections, and unit owner access to association records pursuant
 1571  to s. 718.111(12).
 1572         (a)1. The division may make necessary public or private
 1573  investigations within or outside this state to determine whether
 1574  any person has violated this chapter or any rule or order
 1575  hereunder, to aid in the enforcement of this chapter, or to aid
 1576  in the adoption of rules or forms hereunder.
 1577         2. The division may submit any official written report,
 1578  worksheet, or other related paper, or a duly certified copy
 1579  thereof, compiled, prepared, drafted, or otherwise made by and
 1580  duly authenticated by a financial examiner or analyst to be
 1581  admitted as competent evidence in any hearing in which the
 1582  financial examiner or analyst is available for cross-examination
 1583  and attests under oath that such documents were prepared as a
 1584  result of an examination or inspection conducted pursuant to
 1585  this chapter.
 1586         (b) The division may require or permit any person to file a
 1587  statement in writing, under oath or otherwise, as the division
 1588  determines, as to the facts and circumstances concerning a
 1589  matter to be investigated.
 1590         (c) For the purpose of any investigation under this
 1591  chapter, the division director or any officer or employee
 1592  designated by the division director may administer oaths or
 1593  affirmations, subpoena witnesses and compel their attendance,
 1594  take evidence, and require the production of any matter which is
 1595  relevant to the investigation, including the existence,
 1596  description, nature, custody, condition, and location of any
 1597  books, documents, or other tangible things and the identity and
 1598  location of persons having knowledge of relevant facts or any
 1599  other matter reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of
 1600  material evidence. Upon the failure by a person to obey a
 1601  subpoena or to answer questions propounded by the investigating
 1602  officer and upon reasonable notice to all persons affected
 1603  persons thereby, the division may apply to the circuit court for
 1604  an order compelling compliance.
 1605         (d) Notwithstanding any remedies available to unit owners
 1606  and associations, if the division has reasonable cause to
 1607  believe that a violation of any provision of this chapter or
 1608  related rule has occurred, the division may institute
 1609  enforcement proceedings in its own name against any developer,
 1610  bulk assignee, bulk buyer, association, officer, or member of
 1611  the board of administration, or its assignees or agents, as
 1612  follows:
 1613         1. The division may permit a person whose conduct or
 1614  actions may be under investigation to waive formal proceedings
 1615  and enter into a consent proceeding whereby orders, rules, or
 1616  letters of censure or warning, whether formal or informal, may
 1617  be entered against the person.
 1618         2. The division may issue an order requiring the developer,
 1619  bulk assignee, bulk buyer, association, developer-designated
 1620  officer, or developer-designated member of the board of
 1621  administration, developer-designated assignees or agents, bulk
 1622  assignee-designated assignees or agents, bulk buyer-designated
 1623  assignees or agents, community association manager, or community
 1624  association management firm to cease and desist from the
 1625  unlawful practice and take such affirmative action as in the
 1626  judgment of the division will carry out the purposes of this
 1627  chapter. If the division finds that a developer, bulk assignee,
 1628  bulk buyer, association, officer, or member of the board of
 1629  administration, or its assignees or agents, is violating or is
 1630  about to violate any provision of this chapter, any rule adopted
 1631  or order issued by the division, or any written agreement
 1632  entered into with the division, and presents an immediate danger
 1633  to the public requiring an immediate final order, it may issue
 1634  an emergency cease and desist order reciting with particularity
 1635  the facts underlying such findings. The emergency cease and
 1636  desist order is effective for 90 days. If the division begins
 1637  nonemergency cease and desist proceedings, the emergency cease
 1638  and desist order remains effective until the conclusion of the
 1639  proceedings under ss. 120.569 and 120.57.
 1640         3. If a developer, bulk assignee, or bulk buyer, fails to
 1641  pay any restitution determined by the division to be owed, plus
 1642  any accrued interest at the highest rate permitted by law,
 1643  within 30 days after expiration of any appellate time period of
 1644  a final order requiring payment of restitution or the conclusion
 1645  of any appeal thereof, whichever is later, the division must
 1646  shall bring an action in circuit or county court on behalf of
 1647  any association, class of unit owners, lessees, or purchasers
 1648  for restitution, declaratory relief, injunctive relief, or any
 1649  other available remedy. The division may also temporarily revoke
 1650  its acceptance of the filing for the developer to which the
 1651  restitution relates until payment of restitution is made.
 1652         4. The division may petition the court for the appointment
 1653  of a receiver or conservator. If appointed, the receiver or
 1654  conservator may take action to implement the court order to
 1655  ensure the performance of the order and to remedy any breach
 1656  thereof. In addition to all other means provided by law for the
 1657  enforcement of an injunction or temporary restraining order, the
 1658  circuit court may impound or sequester the property of a party
 1659  defendant, including books, papers, documents, and related
 1660  records, and allow the examination and use of the property by
 1661  the division and a court-appointed receiver or conservator.
 1662         5. The division may apply to the circuit court for an order
 1663  of restitution whereby the defendant in an action brought
 1664  pursuant to subparagraph 4. is shall be ordered to make
 1665  restitution of those sums shown by the division to have been
 1666  obtained by the defendant in violation of this chapter. Such
 1667  restitution shall, At the option of the court, such restitution
 1668  is be payable to the conservator or receiver appointed pursuant
 1669  to subparagraph 4. or directly to the persons whose funds or
 1670  assets were obtained in violation of this chapter.
 1671         6. The division may impose a civil penalty against a
 1672  developer, bulk assignee, or bulk buyer, or association, or its
 1673  assignee or agent, for any violation of this chapter or related
 1674  a rule adopted under this chapter. The division may impose a
 1675  civil penalty individually against an any officer or board
 1676  member who willfully and knowingly violates a provision of this
 1677  chapter, adopted rule, or a final order of the division; may
 1678  order the removal of such individual as an officer or from the
 1679  board of administration or as an officer of the association; and
 1680  may prohibit such individual from serving as an officer or on
 1681  the board of a community association for a period of time. The
 1682  term “willfully and knowingly” means that the division informed
 1683  the officer or board member that his or her action or intended
 1684  action violates this chapter, a rule adopted under this chapter,
 1685  or a final order of the division and that the officer or board
 1686  member refused to comply with the requirements of this chapter,
 1687  a rule adopted under this chapter, or a final order of the
 1688  division. The division, before prior to initiating formal agency
 1689  action under chapter 120, must shall afford the officer or board
 1690  member an opportunity to voluntarily comply and with this
 1691  chapter, a rule adopted under this chapter, or a final order of
 1692  the division. an officer or board member who complies within 10
 1693  days is not subject to a civil penalty. A penalty may be imposed
 1694  on the basis of each day of continuing violation, but in no
 1695  event shall the penalty for any offense may not exceed $5,000.
 1696  By January 1, 1998, the division shall adopt, by rule, penalty
 1697  guidelines applicable to possible violations or to categories of
 1698  violations of this chapter or rules adopted by the division. The
 1699  guidelines must specify a meaningful range of civil penalties
 1700  for each such violation of the statute and rules and must be
 1701  based upon the harm caused by the violation, the repetition of
 1702  the violation, and upon such other factors deemed relevant by
 1703  the division. For example, the division may consider whether the
 1704  violations were committed by a developer, bulk assignee, or bulk
 1705  buyer, or owner-controlled association, the size of the
 1706  association, and other factors. The guidelines must designate
 1707  the possible mitigating or aggravating circumstances that
 1708  justify a departure from the range of penalties provided by the
 1709  rules. It is the legislative intent that minor violations be
 1710  distinguished from those which endanger the health, safety, or
 1711  welfare of the condominium residents or other persons and that
 1712  such guidelines provide reasonable and meaningful notice to the
 1713  public of likely penalties that may be imposed for proscribed
 1714  conduct. This subsection does not limit the ability of the
 1715  division to informally dispose of administrative actions or
 1716  complaints by stipulation, agreed settlement, or consent order.
 1717  All amounts collected shall be deposited with the Chief
 1718  Financial Officer to the credit of the Division of Florida
 1719  Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes Trust Fund. If a
 1720  developer, bulk assignee, or bulk buyer fails to pay the civil
 1721  penalty and the amount deemed to be owed to the association, the
 1722  division shall issue an order directing that such developer,
 1723  bulk assignee, or bulk buyer cease and desist from further
 1724  operation until such time as the civil penalty is paid or may
 1725  pursue enforcement of the penalty in a court of competent
 1726  jurisdiction. If an association fails to pay the civil penalty,
 1727  the division shall pursue enforcement in a court of competent
 1728  jurisdiction, and the order imposing the civil penalty or the
 1729  cease and desist order is will not become effective until 20
 1730  days after the date of such order. Any action commenced by the
 1731  division shall be brought in the county in which the division
 1732  has its executive offices or in the county where the violation
 1733  occurred.
 1734         7. If a unit owner presents the division with proof that
 1735  the unit owner has requested access to official records in
 1736  writing by certified mail, and that after 10 days the unit owner
 1737  again made the same request for access to official records in
 1738  writing by certified mail, and that more than 10 days has
 1739  elapsed since the second request and the association has still
 1740  failed or refused to provide access to official records as
 1741  required by this chapter, the division shall issue a subpoena
 1742  requiring production of the requested records where the records
 1743  are kept pursuant to s. 718.112.
 1744         8. In addition to subparagraph 6., the division may seek
 1745  the imposition of a civil penalty through the circuit court for
 1746  any violation for which the division may issue a notice to show
 1747  cause under paragraph (r). The civil penalty shall be at least
 1748  $500 but no more than $5,000 for each violation. The court may
 1749  also award to the prevailing party court costs and reasonable
 1750  attorney’s fees and, if the division prevails, may also award
 1751  reasonable costs of investigation.
 1752         (e) The division may prepare and disseminate a prospectus
 1753  and other information to assist prospective owners, purchasers,
 1754  lessees, and developers of residential condominiums in assessing
 1755  the rights, privileges, and duties pertaining thereto.
 1756         (f) The division may has authority to adopt rules pursuant
 1757  to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer implement and enforce
 1758  the provisions of this chapter.
 1759         (g) The division shall establish procedures for providing
 1760  notice to an association and the developer, bulk assignee, or
 1761  bulk buyer during the period in which where the developer, bulk
 1762  assignee, or bulk buyer controls the association if when the
 1763  division is considering the issuance of a declaratory statement
 1764  with respect to the declaration of condominium or any related
 1765  document governing in such condominium community.
 1766         (h) The division shall furnish each association that which
 1767  pays the fees required by paragraph (2)(a) a copy of this
 1768  chapter, as amended act, subsequent changes to this act on an
 1769  annual basis, an amended version of this act as it becomes
 1770  available from the Secretary of State’s office on a biennial
 1771  basis, and the rules adopted thereto on an annual basis.
 1772         (i) The division shall annually provide each association
 1773  with a summary of declaratory statements and formal legal
 1774  opinions relating to the operations of condominiums which were
 1775  rendered by the division during the previous year.
 1776         (j) The division shall provide training and educational
 1777  programs for condominium association board members and unit
 1778  owners. The training may, in the division’s discretion, include
 1779  web-based electronic media, and live training and seminars in
 1780  various locations throughout the state. The division may shall
 1781  have the authority to review and approve education and training
 1782  programs for board members and unit owners offered by providers
 1783  and shall maintain a current list of approved programs and
 1784  providers and shall make such list available to board members
 1785  and unit owners in a reasonable and cost-effective manner.
 1786         (k) The division shall maintain a toll-free telephone
 1787  number accessible to condominium unit owners.
 1788         (l) The division shall develop a program to certify both
 1789  volunteer and paid mediators to provide mediation of condominium
 1790  disputes. The division shall provide, upon request, a list of
 1791  such mediators to any association, unit owner, or other
 1792  participant in arbitration proceedings under s. 718.1255
 1793  requesting a copy of the list. The division shall include on the
 1794  list of volunteer mediators only the names of persons who have
 1795  received at least 20 hours of training in mediation techniques
 1796  or who have mediated at least 20 disputes. In order to become
 1797  initially certified by the division, paid mediators must be
 1798  certified by the Supreme Court to mediate court cases in county
 1799  or circuit courts. However, the division may adopt, by rule,
 1800  additional factors for the certification of paid mediators,
 1801  which factors must be related to experience, education, or
 1802  background. Any person initially certified as a paid mediator by
 1803  the division must, in order to continue to be certified, comply
 1804  with the factors or requirements adopted by rule imposed by
 1805  rules adopted by the division.
 1806         (m) If When a complaint is made, the division must shall
 1807  conduct its inquiry with due regard for to the interests of the
 1808  affected parties. Within 30 days after receipt of a complaint,
 1809  the division shall acknowledge the complaint in writing and
 1810  notify the complainant whether the complaint is within the
 1811  jurisdiction of the division and whether additional information
 1812  is needed by the division from the complainant. The division
 1813  shall conduct its investigation and shall, within 90 days after
 1814  receipt of the original complaint or of timely requested
 1815  additional information, take action upon the complaint. However,
 1816  the failure to complete the investigation within 90 days does
 1817  not prevent the division from continuing the investigation,
 1818  accepting or considering evidence obtained or received after 90
 1819  days, or taking administrative action if reasonable cause exists
 1820  to believe that a violation of this chapter or a rule of the
 1821  division has occurred. If an investigation is not completed
 1822  within the time limits established in this paragraph, the
 1823  division shall, on a monthly basis, notify the complainant in
 1824  writing of the status of the investigation. When reporting its
 1825  action to the complainant, the division shall inform the
 1826  complainant of any right to a hearing pursuant to ss. 120.569
 1827  and 120.57.
 1828         (n) Condominium association directors, officers, and
 1829  employees; condominium developers; bulk assignees, bulk buyers,
 1830  and community association managers; and community association
 1831  management firms have an ongoing duty to reasonably cooperate
 1832  with the division in any investigation pursuant to this section.
 1833  The division shall refer to local law enforcement authorities
 1834  any person whom the division believes has altered, destroyed,
 1835  concealed, or removed any record, document, or thing required to
 1836  be kept or maintained by this chapter with the purpose to impair
 1837  its verity or availability in the department’s investigation.
 1838         (o) The division may:
 1839         1. Contract with agencies in this state or other
 1840  jurisdictions to perform investigative functions; or
 1841         2. Accept grants-in-aid from any source.
 1842         (p) The division shall cooperate with similar agencies in
 1843  other jurisdictions to establish uniform filing procedures and
 1844  forms, public offering statements, advertising standards, and
 1845  rules and common administrative practices.
 1846         (q) The division shall consider notice to a developer, bulk
 1847  assignee, or bulk buyer to be complete when it is delivered to
 1848  the developer’s address of the developer, bulk assignee, or bulk
 1849  buyer currently on file with the division.
 1850         (r) In addition to its enforcement authority, the division
 1851  may issue a notice to show cause, which must shall provide for a
 1852  hearing, upon written request, in accordance with chapter 120.
 1853         (s) The division shall submit to the Governor, the
 1854  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
 1855  Representatives, and the chairs of the legislative
 1856  appropriations committees an annual report that includes, but
 1857  need not be limited to, the number of training programs provided
 1858  for condominium association board members and unit owners, the
 1859  number of complaints received by type, the number and percent of
 1860  complaints acknowledged in writing within 30 days and the number
 1861  and percent of investigations acted upon within 90 days in
 1862  accordance with paragraph (m), and the number of investigations
 1863  exceeding the 90-day requirement. The annual report must shall
 1864  also include an evaluation of the division’s core business
 1865  processes and make recommendations for improvements, including
 1866  statutory changes. The report shall be submitted by September 30
 1867  following the end of the fiscal year.
 1868         Section 18. Part VII of chapter 718, Florida Statutes,
 1869  consisting of sections 718.701, 718.702, 718.703, 718.704,
 1870  718.705, 718.706, 718.707, and 718.708, is created to read:
 1871         718.701Short title.—This part may be cited as the
 1872  “Distressed Condominium Relief Act.”
 1873         718.702Legislative intent.—
 1874         (1)The Legislature acknowledges the massive downturn in
 1875  the condominium market which has occurred throughout the state
 1876  and the impact of such downturn on developers, lenders, unit
 1877  owners, and condominium associations. Numerous condominium
 1878  projects have failed or are in the process of failing such that
 1879  the condominium has a small percentage of third-party unit
 1880  owners as compared to the unsold inventory of units. As a result
 1881  of the inability to find purchasers for this inventory of units,
 1882  which results in part from the devaluing of real estate in this
 1883  state, developers are unable to satisfy the requirements of
 1884  their lenders, leading to defaults on mortgages. Consequently,
 1885  lenders are faced with the task of finding a solution to the
 1886  problem in order to receive payment for their investments.
 1887         (2)The Legislature recognizes that all of the factors
 1888  listed in this section lead to condominiums becoming distressed,
 1889  resulting in detriment to the unit owners and the condominium
 1890  association due to the resulting shortage of assessment moneys
 1891  available for proper maintenance of the condominium. Such
 1892  shortage and the resulting lack of proper maintenance further
 1893  erodes property values. The Legislature finds that individuals
 1894  and entities within this state and in other states have
 1895  expressed interest in purchasing unsold inventory in one or more
 1896  condominium projects, but are reticent to do so because of
 1897  accompanying liabilities inherited from the original developer,
 1898  which are by definition imputed to the successor purchaser,
 1899  including a foreclosing mortgagee. This results in the potential
 1900  successor purchaser having unknown and unquantifiable risks that
 1901  the potential purchaser is unwilling to accept. As a result,
 1902  condominium projects stagnate, leaving all parties involved at
 1903  an impasse and without the ability to find a solution.
 1904         (3)The Legislature declares that it is the public policy
 1905  of this state to protect the interests of developers, lenders,
 1906  unit owners, and condominium associations with regard to
 1907  distressed condominiums, and that there is a need for relief
 1908  from certain provisions of the Florida Condominium Act geared
 1909  toward enabling economic opportunities for successor purchasers,
 1910  including foreclosing mortgagees. Such relief would benefit
 1911  existing unit owners and condominium associations. The
 1912  Legislature further finds and declares that this situation
 1913  cannot be open-ended without potentially prejudicing the rights
 1914  of unit owners and condominium associations, and thereby
 1915  declares that the provisions of this part may be used by
 1916  purchasers of condominium inventory for only a specific and
 1917  defined period.
 1918         718.703Definitions.—As used in this part, the term:
 1919         (1)“Bulk assignee” means a person who:
 1920         (a)Acquires more than seven condominium parcels as set
 1921  forth in s. 718.707; and
 1922         (b)Receives an assignment of some or all of the rights of
 1923  the developer as set forth in the declaration of condominium or
 1924  this chapter by a written instrument recorded as an exhibit to
 1925  the deed or as a separate instrument in the public records of
 1926  the county in which the condominium is located.
 1927         (2)“Bulk buyer” means a person who acquires more than
 1928  seven condominium parcels as set forth in s. 718.707, but who
 1929  does not receive an assignment of developer rights other than
 1930  the right to conduct sales, leasing, and marketing activities
 1931  within the condominium; the right to be exempt from the payment
 1932  of working capital contributions to the condominium association
 1933  arising out of, or in connection with, the bulk buyer’s
 1934  acquisition of a bulk number of units; and the right to be
 1935  exempt from any rights of first refusal which may be held by the
 1936  condominium association and would otherwise be applicable to
 1937  subsequent transfers of title from the bulk buyer to a third
 1938  party purchaser concerning one or more units.
 1939         718.704Assignment and assumption of developer rights by
 1940  bulk assignee; bulk buyer.—
 1941         (1)A bulk assignee assumes and is liable for all duties
 1942  and responsibilities of the developer under the declaration and
 1943  this chapter, except:
 1944         (a)Warranties of the developer under s. 718.203(1) or s.
 1945  718.618, except for design, construction, development, or repair
 1946  work performed by or on behalf of such bulk assignee;
 1947         (b)The obligation to:
 1948         1.Fund converter reserves under s. 718.618 for a unit that
 1949  was not acquired by the bulk assignee; or
 1950         2.Provide converter warranties on any portion of the
 1951  condominium property except as expressly provided by the bulk
 1952  assignee in the contract for purchase and sale executed with a
 1953  purchaser and pertaining to any design, construction,
 1954  development, or repair work performed by or on behalf of the
 1955  bulk assignee;
 1956         (c)The requirement to provide the association with a
 1957  cumulative audit of the association’s finances from the date of
 1958  formation of the condominium association as required by s.
 1959  718.301(4)(c). However, the bulk assignee must provide an audit
 1960  for the period during which the bulk assignee elects a majority
 1961  of the members of the board of administration;
 1962         (d)Any liability arising out of or in connection with
 1963  actions taken by the board of administration or the developer
 1964  appointed directors before the bulk assignee elects a majority
 1965  of the members of the board of administration; and
 1966         (e)Any liability for or arising out of the developer’s
 1967  failure to fund previous assessments or to resolve budgetary
 1968  deficits in relation to a developer’s right to guarantee
 1969  assessments, except as otherwise provided in subsection (2).
 1970  
 1971  The bulk assignee is also responsible for delivering documents
 1972  and materials in accordance with s. 718.705(3). A bulk assignee
 1973  may expressly assume some or all of the obligations of the
 1974  developer described in paragraphs (a)-(e).
 1975         (2)A bulk assignee receiving the assignment of the rights
 1976  of the developer to guarantee the level of assessments and fund
 1977  budgetary deficits pursuant to s. 718.116 assumes and is liable
 1978  for all obligations of the developer with respect to such
 1979  guarantee, including any applicable funding of reserves to the
 1980  extent required by law, for as long as the guarantee remains in
 1981  effect. A bulk assignee not receiving such assignment or a bulk
 1982  buyer does not assume and is not liable for the obligations of
 1983  the developer with respect to such guarantee, but is responsible
 1984  for payment of assessments in the same manner as all other
 1985  owners of condominium parcels.
 1986         (3)A bulk buyer is liable for the duties and
 1987  responsibilities of the developer under the declaration and this
 1988  chapter only to the extent provided in this part, together with
 1989  any other duties or responsibilities of the developer expressly
 1990  assumed in writing by the bulk buyer.
 1991         (4)An acquirer of condominium parcels is not a bulk
 1992  assignee or a bulk buyer if the transfer to such acquirer was
 1993  made before the effective date of this part with the intent to
 1994  hinder, delay, or defraud any purchaser, unit owner, or the
 1995  association, or if the acquirer is a person who would be
 1996  considered an insider under s. 726.102(7).
 1997         (5)An assignment of developer rights to a bulk assignee
 1998  may be made by the developer, a previous bulk assignee, or a
 1999  court acting on behalf of the developer or the previous bulk
 2000  assignee. At any particular time, there may be no more than one
 2001  bulk assignee within a condominium, but there may be more than
 2002  one bulk buyer. If more than one acquirer of condominium parcels
 2003  in the same condominium receives an assignment of developer
 2004  rights from the same person, the bulk assignee is the acquirer
 2005  whose instrument of assignment is recorded first.
 2006         718.705Board of administration; transfer of control.—
 2007         (1)For purposes of determining the timing for transfer of
 2008  control of the board of administration of the association to
 2009  unit owners other than the developer under s. 718.301(1)(a) and
 2010  (b), if a bulk assignee is entitled to elect a majority of the
 2011  members of the board, a condominium parcel acquired by the bulk
 2012  assignee is conveyed to a purchaser, or owned by an owner other
 2013  than the developer, until the condominium parcel is conveyed to
 2014  an owner who is not a bulk assignee.
 2015         (2)Unless control of the board of administration of the
 2016  association has already been relinquished pursuant to s.
 2017  718.301(1), the bulk assignee must relinquish control of the
 2018  association pursuant to s. 718.301 and this part, as if the bulk
 2019  assignee were the developer.
 2020         (3)If a bulk assignee relinquishes control of the board of
 2021  administration as set forth in s. 718.301, the bulk assignee
 2022  must deliver all of those items required by s. 718.301(4).
 2023  However, the bulk assignee is not required to deliver items and
 2024  documents not in the possession of the bulk assignee during the
 2025  period during which the bulk assignee was entitled to elect at
 2026  least a majority of the members of the board of administration.
 2027  In conjunction with acquisition of condominium parcels, a bulk
 2028  assignee shall undertake a good faith effort to obtain the
 2029  documents and materials that must be provided to the association
 2030  pursuant to s. 718.301(4). If the bulk assignee is not able to
 2031  obtain all of such documents and materials, the bulk assignee
 2032  must certify in writing to the association the names or
 2033  descriptions of the documents and materials that were not
 2034  obtainable by the bulk assignee. Delivery of the certificate
 2035  relieves the bulk assignee of responsibility for delivering the
 2036  documents and materials referenced in the certificate as
 2037  otherwise required under ss. 718.112 and 718.301 and this part.
 2038  The responsibility of the bulk assignee for the audit required
 2039  by s. 718.301(4) commences as of the date on which the bulk
 2040  assignee elected a majority of the members of the board of
 2041  administration.
 2042         (4)If a conflict arises between the provisions or
 2043  application of this section and s. 718.301, this section
 2044  prevails.
 2045         (5)Failure of a bulk assignee or bulk buyer to
 2046  substantially comply with all the requirements in this part
 2047  results in the loss of any and all protections or exemptions
 2048  provided under this part.
 2049         718.706Specific provisions pertaining to offering of units
 2050  by a bulk assignee or bulk buyer.—
 2051         (1)Before offering any units for sale or for lease for a
 2052  term exceeding 5 years, a bulk assignee or a bulk buyer must
 2053  file the following documents with the division and provide such
 2054  documents to a prospective purchaser or tenant:
 2055         (a)An updated prospectus or offering circular, or a
 2056  supplement to the prospectus or offering circular, filed by the
 2057  original developer prepared in accordance with s. 718.504, which
 2058  must include the form of contract for sale and for lease in
 2059  compliance with s. 718.503(2);
 2060         (b)An updated Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
 2061  sheet;
 2062         (c)The executed escrow agreement if required under s.
 2063  718.202; and
 2064         (d)The financial information required by s. 718.111(13).
 2065  However, if a financial information report does not exist for
 2066  the fiscal year before acquisition of title by the bulk assignee
 2067  or bulk buyer, or accounting records cannot be obtained in good
 2068  faith by the bulk assignee or the bulk buyer which would permit
 2069  preparation of the required financial information report, the
 2070  bulk assignee or bulk buyer is excused from the requirement of
 2071  this paragraph. However, the bulk assignee or bulk buyer must
 2072  include in the purchase contract the following statement in
 2073  conspicuous type:
 2074  
 2075         THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION REPORT REQUIRED UNDER S.
 2076         718.111(13) FOR THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING FISCAL YEAR
 2077         OF THE ASSOCIATION IS NOT AVAILABLE OR CANNOT BE
 2078         CREATED BY THE SELLER DUE TO THE INSUFFICIENT
 2079         ACCOUNTING RECORDS OF THE ASSOCIATION.
 2080  
 2081         (2)Before offering any units for sale or for lease for a
 2082  term exceeding 5 years, a bulk assignee must file with the
 2083  division and provide to a prospective purchaser a disclosure
 2084  statement that includes, but is not limited to:
 2085         (a)A description of any rights of the developer which have
 2086  been assigned to the bulk assignee or bulk buyer;
 2087         (b)The following statement in conspicuous type:
 2088  
 2089         THE SELLER IS NOT OBLIGATED FOR ANY WARRANTIES OF THE
 2090         DEVELOPER UNDER S. 718.203(1) OR S. 718.618, AS
 2091         APPLICABLE, EXCEPT FOR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION,
 2092         DEVELOPMENT, OR REPAIR WORK PERFORMED BY OR ON BEHALF
 2093         OF SELLER; and
 2094         (c)If the condominium is a conversion subject to part VI,
 2095  the following statement in conspicuous type:
 2096  
 2097         THE SELLER HAS NO OBLIGATION TO FUND CONVERTER
 2098         RESERVES OR TO PROVIDE CONVERTER WARRANTIES UNDER S.
 2099         718.618 ON ANY PORTION OF THE CONDOMINIUM PROPERTY
 2100         EXCEPT AS MAY BE EXPRESSLY REQUIRED OF THE SELLER IN
 2101         THE CONTRACT FOR PURCHASE AND SALE EXECUTED BY THE
 2102         SELLER AND THE PREVIOUS DEVELOPER AND PERTAINING TO
 2103         ANY DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, DEVELOPMENT, OR REPAIR WORK
 2104         PERFORMED BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE SELLER.
 2105         (3)A bulk assignee, while it is in control of the board of
 2106  administration of the association, may not authorize, on behalf
 2107  of the association:
 2108         (a)The waiver of reserves or the reduction of funding of
 2109  the reserves pursuant to s. 718.112(2)(f)2., unless approved by
 2110  a majority of the voting interests not controlled by the
 2111  developer, bulk assignee, and bulk buyer; or
 2112         (b)The use of reserve expenditures for other purposes
 2113  pursuant to s. 718.112(2)(f)3., unless approved by a majority of
 2114  the voting interests not controlled by the developer, bulk
 2115  assignee, and bulk buyer.
 2116         (4)A bulk assignee or a bulk buyer must comply with all
 2117  the requirements of s. 718.302 regarding any contracts entered
 2118  into by the association during the period the bulk assignee or
 2119  bulk buyer maintains control of the board of administration.
 2120  Unit owners shall be afforded all the protections contained in
 2121  s. 718.302 regarding agreements entered into by the association
 2122  before unit owners other than the developer, bulk assignee, or
 2123  bulk buyer elected a majority of the board of administration.
 2124         (5)A bulk buyer must comply with the requirements
 2125  contained in the declaration regarding any transfer of a unit,
 2126  including sales, leases, and subleases. A bulk buyer is not
 2127  entitled to any exemptions afforded a developer or successor
 2128  developer under this chapter regarding the transfer of a unit,
 2129  including sales, leases, or subleases.
 2130         718.707Time limitation for classification as bulk assignee
 2131  or bulk buyer.—A person acquiring condominium parcels may not be
 2132  classified as a bulk assignee or bulk buyer unless the
 2133  condominium parcels were acquired before July 1, 2012. The date
 2134  of such acquisition shall be determined by the date of recording
 2135  of a deed or other instrument of conveyance for such parcels in
 2136  the public records of the county in which the condominium is
 2137  located, or by the date of issuance of a certificate of title in
 2138  a foreclosure proceeding with respect to such condominium
 2139  parcels.
 2140         718.708Liability of developers and others.—An assignment
 2141  of developer rights to a bulk assignee or bulk buyer does not
 2142  release the original developer from liabilities under the
 2143  declaration or this chapter. This part does not limit the
 2144  liability of the original developer for claims brought by unit
 2145  owners, bulk assignees, or bulk buyers for violations of this
 2146  chapter by the original developer, unless specifically excluded
 2147  in this part. This part does not waive, release, compromise, or
 2148  limit liability established under chapter 718 except as
 2149  specifically excluded under this part.
 2150         Section 19. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section
 2151  719.106, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 2152         719.106 Bylaws; cooperative ownership.—
 2153         (1) MANDATORY PROVISIONS.—The bylaws or other cooperative
 2154  documents shall provide for the following, and if they do not,
 2155  they shall be deemed to include the following:
 2156         (d) Shareholder meetings.—There shall be an annual meeting
 2157  of the shareholders. All members of the board of administration
 2158  shall be elected at the annual meeting unless the bylaws provide
 2159  for staggered election terms or for their election at another
 2160  meeting. Any unit owner desiring to be a candidate for board
 2161  membership must shall comply with subparagraph 1. The bylaws
 2162  must shall provide the method for calling meetings, including
 2163  annual meetings. Written notice, which must notice shall
 2164  incorporate an identification of agenda items, shall be given to
 2165  each unit owner at least 14 days before prior to the annual
 2166  meeting and shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the
 2167  cooperative property at least 14 continuous days preceding the
 2168  annual meeting. Upon notice to the unit owners, the board must
 2169  shall by duly adopted rule designate a specific location on the
 2170  cooperative property upon which all notice of unit owner
 2171  meetings are shall be posted. In lieu of or in addition to the
 2172  physical posting of the meeting notice of any meeting of the
 2173  shareholders on the cooperative property, the association may,
 2174  by reasonable rule, adopt a procedure for conspicuously posting
 2175  and repeatedly broadcasting the notice and the agenda on a
 2176  closed-circuit cable television system serving the cooperative
 2177  association. However, if broadcast notice is used in lieu of a
 2178  posted notice posted physically on the cooperative property, the
 2179  notice and agenda must be broadcast at least four times every
 2180  broadcast hour of each day that a posted notice is otherwise
 2181  required under this section. If When broadcast notice is
 2182  provided, the notice and agenda must be broadcast in a manner
 2183  and for a sufficient continuous length of time so as to allow an
 2184  average reader to observe the notice and read and comprehend the
 2185  entire content of the notice and the agenda. Unless a unit owner
 2186  waives in writing the right to receive notice of the annual
 2187  meeting, the notice of the annual meeting must shall be sent by
 2188  mail, hand delivered, or electronically transmitted to each unit
 2189  owner. An officer of the association must shall provide an
 2190  affidavit or United States Postal Service certificate of
 2191  mailing, to be included in the official records of the
 2192  association, affirming that notices of the association meeting
 2193  were mailed, hand delivered, or electronically transmitted, in
 2194  accordance with this provision, to each unit owner at the
 2195  address last furnished to the association.
 2196         1. After January 1, 1992, The board of administration shall
 2197  be elected by written ballot or voting machine. A proxy may not
 2198  Proxies shall in no event be used in electing the board of
 2199  administration, either in general elections or elections to fill
 2200  vacancies caused by recall, resignation, or otherwise unless
 2201  otherwise provided in this chapter. At least Not less than 60
 2202  days before a scheduled election, the association shall mail,
 2203  deliver, or transmit, whether by separate association mailing,
 2204  delivery, or electronic transmission or included in another
 2205  association mailing, delivery, or electronic transmission,
 2206  including regularly published newsletters, to each unit owner
 2207  entitled to vote, a first notice of the date of the election.
 2208  Any unit owner or other eligible person desiring to be a
 2209  candidate for the board of administration must shall give
 2210  written notice to the association at least not less than 40 days
 2211  before a scheduled election. Together with the written notice
 2212  and agenda as set forth in this section, the association shall
 2213  mail, deliver, or electronically transmit a second notice of
 2214  election to all unit owners entitled to vote therein, together
 2215  with a ballot which lists shall list all candidates. Upon
 2216  request of a candidate, the association shall include an
 2217  information sheet, no larger than 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches,
 2218  which must be furnished by the candidate at least not less than
 2219  35 days before prior to the election, to be included with the
 2220  mailing, delivery, or electronic transmission of the ballot,
 2221  with the costs of mailing, delivery, or transmission and copying
 2222  to be borne by the association. The association is not liable
 2223  has no liability for the contents of the information sheets
 2224  provided by the candidates. In order to reduce costs, the
 2225  association may print or duplicate the information sheets on
 2226  both sides of the paper. The division shall by rule establish
 2227  voting procedures consistent with this subparagraph the
 2228  provisions contained herein, including rules establishing
 2229  procedures for giving notice by electronic transmission and
 2230  rules providing for the secrecy of ballots. Elections shall be
 2231  decided by a plurality of those ballots cast. There is shall be
 2232  no quorum requirement. However, at least 20 percent of the
 2233  eligible voters must cast a ballot in order to have a valid
 2234  election of members of the board of administration. A No unit
 2235  owner may not shall permit any other person to vote his or her
 2236  ballot, and any such ballots improperly cast are shall be deemed
 2237  invalid. A unit owner who needs assistance in casting the ballot
 2238  for the reasons stated in s. 101.051 may obtain assistance in
 2239  casting the ballot. Any unit owner violating this provision may
 2240  be fined by the association in accordance with s. 719.303. The
 2241  regular election must shall occur on the date of the annual
 2242  meeting. The provisions of This subparagraph does shall not
 2243  apply to timeshare cooperatives. Notwithstanding the provisions
 2244  of this subparagraph, an election and balloting are not required
 2245  unless more candidates file a notice of intent to run or are
 2246  nominated than vacancies exist on the board.
 2247         2. Any approval by unit owners called for by this chapter,
 2248  or the applicable cooperative documents, must shall be made at a
 2249  duly noticed meeting of unit owners and is shall be subject to
 2250  all requirements of this chapter or the applicable cooperative
 2251  documents relating to unit owner decisionmaking, except that
 2252  unit owners may take action by written agreement, without
 2253  meetings, on matters for which action by written agreement
 2254  without meetings is expressly allowed by the applicable
 2255  cooperative documents or law any Florida statute which provides
 2256  for the unit owner action.
 2257         3. Unit owners may waive notice of specific meetings if
 2258  allowed by the applicable cooperative documents or law any
 2259  Florida statute. If authorized by the bylaws, notice of meetings
 2260  of the board of administration, shareholder meetings, except
 2261  shareholder meetings called to recall board members under
 2262  paragraph (f), and committee meetings may be given by electronic
 2263  transmission to unit owners who consent to receive notice by
 2264  electronic transmission.
 2265         4. Unit owners shall have the right to participate in
 2266  meetings of unit owners with reference to all designated agenda
 2267  items. However, the association may adopt reasonable rules
 2268  governing the frequency, duration, and manner of unit owner
 2269  participation.
 2270         5. Any unit owner may tape record or videotape meetings of
 2271  the unit owners subject to reasonable rules adopted by the
 2272  division.
 2273         6. Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, a vacancy
 2274  occurring on the board before the expiration of a term may be
 2275  filled by the affirmative vote of the majority of the remaining
 2276  directors, even if the remaining directors constitute less than
 2277  a quorum, or by the sole remaining director. In the alternative,
 2278  a board may hold an election to fill the vacancy, in which case
 2279  the election procedures must conform to the requirements of
 2280  subparagraph 1. unless the association has opted out of the
 2281  statutory election process, in which case the bylaws of the
 2282  association control. Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, a
 2283  board member appointed or elected under this subparagraph shall
 2284  fill the vacancy for the unexpired term of the seat being
 2285  filled. Filling vacancies created by recall is governed by
 2286  paragraph (f) and rules adopted by the division.
 2287  
 2288  Notwithstanding subparagraphs (b)2. and (d)1., an association
 2289  may, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total voting
 2290  interests, provide for a different voting and election procedure
 2291  in its bylaws, which vote may be by a proxy specifically
 2292  delineating the different voting and election procedures. The
 2293  different voting and election procedures may provide for
 2294  elections to be conducted by limited or general proxy.
 2295         Section 20. Subsection (5) of section 719.1055, Florida
 2296  Statutes, is amended to read:
 2297         719.1055 Amendment of cooperative documents; alteration and
 2298  acquisition of property.—
 2299         (5) The bylaws must include a provision whereby a
 2300  certificate of compliance from a licensed electrical contractor
 2301  or electrician may be accepted by the association’s board as
 2302  evidence of compliance of the cooperative units with the
 2303  applicable fire and life safety code.
 2304         1. Notwithstanding chapter 633 or any other code, statute,
 2305  ordinance, administrative rule, or regulation, or any
 2306  interpretation of the foregoing, a cooperative or unit owner is
 2307  not obligated to retrofit the common elements or units of a
 2308  residential cooperative with a fire sprinkler system in a
 2309  building that has been certified for occupancy by the applicable
 2310  governmental entity if the unit owners have voted to forego such
 2311  retrofitting by the affirmative vote of a majority of all voting
 2312  interests in the affected cooperative. The local authority
 2313  having jurisdiction may not require completion of retrofitting
 2314  with a fire sprinkler system before the end of 2019. By December
 2315  31, 2016, a cooperative that is not in compliance with the
 2316  requirements for a fire sprinkler system and has not voted to
 2317  forego retrofitting of such a system must initiate an
 2318  application for a building permit for the required installation
 2319  with the local government having jurisdiction demonstrating that
 2320  the cooperative will become compliant by December 31, 2019.
 2321         2. A vote to forego retrofitting may be obtained by limited
 2322  proxy or by a ballot personally cast at a duly called membership
 2323  meeting, or by execution of a written consent by the member, and
 2324  is effective upon recording a certificate attesting to such vote
 2325  in the public records of the county where the cooperative is
 2326  located. The cooperative shall mail or hand deliver to each unit
 2327  owner written notice at least 14 days before the membership
 2328  meeting in which the vote to forego retrofitting of the required
 2329  fire sprinkler system is to take place. Within 30 days after the
 2330  cooperative’s opt-out vote, notice of the results of the opt-out
 2331  vote must be mailed or hand delivered to all unit owners.
 2332  Evidence of compliance with this notice requirement must be made
 2333  by affidavit executed by the person providing the notice and
 2334  filed among the official records of the cooperative. After
 2335  notice is provided to each owner, a copy must be provided by the
 2336  current owner to a new owner before closing and by a unit owner
 2337  to a renter before signing a lease. Notwithstanding the
 2338  provisions of chapter 633 or of any other code, statute,
 2339  ordinance, administrative rule, or regulation, or any
 2340  interpretation of the foregoing, a cooperative or unit owner is
 2341  not obligated to retrofit the common elements or units of a
 2342  residential cooperative with a fire sprinkler system or other
 2343  engineered life safety system in a building that has been
 2344  certified for occupancy by the applicable governmental entity,
 2345  if the unit owners have voted to forego such retrofitting and
 2346  engineered life safety system by the affirmative vote of two
 2347  thirds of all voting interests in the affected cooperative.
 2348  However, a cooperative may not forego the retrofitting with a
 2349  fire sprinkler system of common areas in a high-rise building.
 2350  For purposes of this subsection, the term “high-rise building”
 2351  means a building that is greater than 75 feet in height where
 2352  the building height is measured from the lowest level of fire
 2353  department access to the floor of the highest occupiable story.
 2354  For purposes of this subsection, the term “common areas” means
 2355  any enclosed hallway, corridor, lobby, stairwell, or entryway.
 2356  In no event shall The local authority having jurisdiction
 2357  require completion of retrofitting of common areas with a
 2358  sprinkler system before the end of 2014.
 2359         (a) A vote to forego retrofitting may be obtained by
 2360  limited proxy or by a ballot personally cast at a duly called
 2361  membership meeting, or by execution of a written consent by the
 2362  member, and shall be effective upon the recording of a
 2363  certificate attesting to such vote in the public records of the
 2364  county where the cooperative is located. The association shall
 2365  mail, hand deliver, or electronically transmit to each unit
 2366  owner written notice at least 14 days prior to such membership
 2367  meeting in which the vote to forego retrofitting of the required
 2368  fire sprinkler system is to take place. Within 30 days after the
 2369  association’s opt-out vote, notice of the results of the opt-out
 2370  vote shall be mailed, hand delivered, or electronically
 2371  transmitted to all unit owners. Evidence of compliance with this
 2372  30-day notice shall be made by an affidavit executed by the
 2373  person providing the notice and filed among the official records
 2374  of the association. After such notice is provided to each owner,
 2375  a copy of such notice shall be provided by the current owner to
 2376  a new owner prior to closing and shall be provided by a unit
 2377  owner to a renter prior to signing a lease.
 2378         (b) If there has been a previous vote to forego
 2379  retrofitting, a vote to require retrofitting may be obtained at
 2380  a special meeting of the unit owners called by a petition of
 2381  least 10 percent of the voting interests. Such vote may only be
 2382  called once every 3 years. Notice must be provided as required
 2383  for any regularly called meeting of the unit owners, and the
 2384  notice must state the purpose of the meeting. Electronic
 2385  transmission may not be used to provide notice of a meeting
 2386  called in whole or in part for this purpose.
 2387         (c)(b) As part of the information collected annually from
 2388  cooperatives, the division shall require associations to report
 2389  the membership vote and recording of a certificate under this
 2390  subsection and, if retrofitting has been undertaken, the per
 2391  unit cost of such work. The division shall annually report to
 2392  the Division of State Fire Marshal of the Department of
 2393  Financial Services the number of cooperatives that have elected
 2394  to forego retrofitting.
 2395         Section 21. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 719.108,
 2396  Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (10) is added to
 2397  that section, to read:
 2398         719.108 Rents and assessments; liability; lien and
 2399  priority; interest; collection; cooperative ownership.—
 2400         (3) Rents and assessments, and installments on them, not
 2401  paid when due bear interest at the rate provided in the
 2402  cooperative documents from the date due until paid. This rate
 2403  may not exceed the rate allowed by law, and, if a no rate is not
 2404  provided in the cooperative documents, then interest accrues
 2405  shall accrue at 18 percent per annum. Also, If the cooperative
 2406  documents or bylaws so provide, the association may charge an
 2407  administrative late fee in addition to such interest, in an
 2408  amount not to exceed the greater of $25 or 5 percent of each
 2409  installment of the assessment for each delinquent installment
 2410  that the payment is late. Any payment received by an association
 2411  must shall be applied first to any interest accrued by the
 2412  association, then to any administrative late fee, then to any
 2413  costs and reasonable attorney’s fees incurred in collection, and
 2414  then to the delinquent assessment. The foregoing applies shall
 2415  be applicable notwithstanding any restrictive endorsement,
 2416  designation, or instruction placed on or accompanying a payment.
 2417  A late fee is not subject to chapter 687 or s. 719.303(3).
 2418         (4) The association has shall have a lien on each
 2419  cooperative parcel for any unpaid rents and assessments, plus
 2420  interest, any authorized administrative late fees, and any
 2421  reasonable costs for collection services for which the
 2422  association has contracted against the unit owner of the
 2423  cooperative parcel. If authorized by the cooperative documents,
 2424  the said lien shall also secures secure reasonable attorney’s
 2425  fees incurred by the association incident to the collection of
 2426  the rents and assessments or enforcement of such lien. The lien
 2427  is effective from and after the recording of a claim of lien in
 2428  the public records in the county in which the cooperative parcel
 2429  is located which states the description of the cooperative
 2430  parcel, the name of the unit owner, the amount due, and the due
 2431  dates. The lien expires shall expire if a claim of lien is not
 2432  filed within 1 year after the date the assessment was due, and
 2433  the no such lien does not shall continue for a longer period
 2434  than 1 year after the claim of lien has been recorded unless,
 2435  within that time, an action to enforce the lien is commenced in
 2436  a court of competent jurisdiction. Except as otherwise provided
 2437  in this chapter, a lien may not be filed by the association
 2438  against a cooperative parcel until 30 days after the date on
 2439  which a notice of intent to file a lien has been delivered to
 2440  the owner.
 2441         (a)The notice must be sent to the unit owner at the
 2442  address of the unit by first-class United States mail and:
 2443         1.If the most recent address of the unit owner on the
 2444  records of the association is the address of the unit, the
 2445  notice must be sent by registered or certified mail, return
 2446  receipt requested, to the unit owner at the address of the unit.
 2447         2.If the most recent address of the unit owner on the
 2448  records of the association is in the United States, but is not
 2449  the address of the unit, the notice must be sent by registered
 2450  or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the unit owner
 2451  at his or her most recent address.
 2452         3.If the most recent address of the unit owner on the
 2453  records of the association is not in the United States, the
 2454  notice must be sent by first-class United States mail to the
 2455  unit owner at his or her most recent address.
 2456         (b)A notice that is sent pursuant to this subsection is
 2457  deemed delivered upon mailing. No lien may be filed by the
 2458  association against a cooperative parcel until 30 days after the
 2459  date on which a notice of intent to file a lien has been served
 2460  on the unit owner of the cooperative parcel by certified mail or
 2461  by personal service in the manner authorized by chapter 48 and
 2462  the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure.
 2463         (10)If the unit is occupied by a tenant and the unit owner
 2464  is delinquent in paying any monetary obligation due to the
 2465  association, the association may make a written demand that the
 2466  tenant pay the future monetary obligations related to the
 2467  cooperative share to the association and the tenant must make
 2468  such payment. The demand is continuing in nature, and upon
 2469  demand, the tenant must pay the monetary obligations to the
 2470  association until the association releases the tenant or the
 2471  tenant discontinues tenancy in the unit. The association must
 2472  mail written notice to the unit owner of the association’s
 2473  demand that the tenant make payments to the association. The
 2474  association shall, upon request, provide the tenant with written
 2475  receipts for payments made. A tenant who acts in good faith in
 2476  response to a written demand from an association is immune from
 2477  any claim from the unit owner.
 2478         (a) If the tenant prepaid rent to the unit owner before
 2479  receiving the demand from the association and provides written
 2480  evidence of paying the rent to the association within 14 days
 2481  after receiving the demand, the tenant shall receive credit for
 2482  the prepaid rent for the applicable period and must make any
 2483  subsequent rental payments to the association to be credited
 2484  against the monetary obligations of the unit owner to the
 2485  association.
 2486         (b) The tenant is not liable for increases in the amount of
 2487  the regular monetary obligations due unless the tenant was
 2488  notified in writing of the increase at least 10 days before the
 2489  date on which the rent is due. The liability of the tenant may
 2490  not exceed the amount due from the tenant to the tenants’
 2491  landlord. The tenant’s landlord shall provide the tenant a
 2492  credit against rents due to the unit owner in the amount of
 2493  monies paid to the association under this section.
 2494         (c) The association may issue notices under s. 83.56 and
 2495  may sue for eviction under ss. 83.59-83.625 as if the
 2496  association were a landlord under part II of chapter 83 if the
 2497  tenant fails to pay a required payment. However, the association
 2498  is not otherwise considered a landlord under chapter 83 and
 2499  specifically has no duties under s. 83.51.
 2500         (d) The tenant does not, by virtue of payment of monetary
 2501  obligations, have any of the rights of a unit owner to vote in
 2502  any election or to examine the books and records of the
 2503  association.
 2504         (e) A court may supersede the effect of this subsection by
 2505  appointing a receiver.
 2506         Section 22. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2), paragraphs (a)
 2507  and (c) of subsection (5), and paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (f),
 2508  and (g) of subsection (6) of section 720.303, Florida Statutes,
 2509  are amended, and subsection (12) is added to that section, to
 2510  read:
 2511         720.303 Association powers and duties; meetings of board;
 2512  official records; budgets; financial reporting; association
 2513  funds; recalls.—
 2514         (2) BOARD MEETINGS.—
 2515         (b) Members have the right to attend all meetings of the
 2516  board and to speak on any matter placed on the agenda by
 2517  petition of the voting interests for at least 3 minutes. The
 2518  association may adopt written reasonable rules expanding the
 2519  right of members to speak and governing the frequency, duration,
 2520  and other manner of member statements, which rules must be
 2521  consistent with this paragraph and may include a sign-up sheet
 2522  for members wishing to speak. Notwithstanding any other law, the
 2523  requirement that board meetings and committee meetings be open
 2524  to the members is inapplicable to meetings between the board or
 2525  a committee and the association’s attorney to discuss proposed
 2526  or pending litigation, or with respect to meetings of the board
 2527  held for the purpose of discussing personnel matters are not
 2528  required to be open to the members other than directors.
 2529         (5) INSPECTION AND COPYING OF RECORDS.—The official records
 2530  shall be maintained within the state and must be open to
 2531  inspection and available for photocopying by members or their
 2532  authorized agents at reasonable times and places within 10
 2533  business days after receipt of a written request for access.
 2534  This subsection may be complied with by having a copy of the
 2535  official records available for inspection or copying in the
 2536  community. If the association has a photocopy machine available
 2537  where the records are maintained, it must provide parcel owners
 2538  with copies on request during the inspection if the entire
 2539  request is limited to no more than 25 pages.
 2540         (a) The failure of an association to provide access to the
 2541  records within 10 business days after receipt of a written
 2542  request submitted by certified mail, return receipt requested,
 2543  creates a rebuttable presumption that the association willfully
 2544  failed to comply with this subsection.
 2545         (c) The association may adopt reasonable written rules
 2546  governing the frequency, time, location, notice, records to be
 2547  inspected, and manner of inspections, but may not require impose
 2548  a requirement that a parcel owner to demonstrate any proper
 2549  purpose for the inspection, state any reason for the inspection,
 2550  or limit a parcel owner’s right to inspect records to less than
 2551  one 8-hour business day per month. The association may impose
 2552  fees to cover the costs of providing copies of the official
 2553  records, including, without limitation, the costs of copying.
 2554  The association may charge up to 50 cents per page for copies
 2555  made on the association’s photocopier. If the association does
 2556  not have a photocopy machine available where the records are
 2557  kept, or if the records requested to be copied exceed 25 pages
 2558  in length, the association may have copies made by an outside
 2559  vendor or association management company personnel and may
 2560  charge the actual cost of copying, including any reasonable
 2561  costs involving personnel fees and charges at an hourly rate for
 2562  vendor or employee time to cover administrative costs to the
 2563  vendor or association. The association shall maintain an
 2564  adequate number of copies of the recorded governing documents,
 2565  to ensure their availability to members and prospective members.
 2566  Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the following
 2567  records are shall not be accessible to members or parcel owners:
 2568         1. Any record protected by the lawyer-client privilege as
 2569  described in s. 90.502 and any record protected by the work
 2570  product privilege, including, but not limited to, any record
 2571  prepared by an association attorney or prepared at the
 2572  attorney’s express direction which reflects a mental impression,
 2573  conclusion, litigation strategy, or legal theory of the attorney
 2574  or the association and which was prepared exclusively for civil
 2575  or criminal litigation or for adversarial administrative
 2576  proceedings or which was prepared in anticipation of imminent
 2577  civil or criminal litigation or imminent adversarial
 2578  administrative proceedings until the conclusion of the
 2579  litigation or adversarial administrative proceedings.
 2580         2. Information obtained by an association in connection
 2581  with the approval of the lease, sale, or other transfer of a
 2582  parcel.
 2583         3. Disciplinary, health, insurance, and Personnel records
 2584  of the association’s employees, including, but not limited to,
 2585  disciplinary, payroll, health, and insurance records.
 2586         4. Medical records of parcel owners or community residents.
 2587         5. Social security numbers, driver’s license numbers,
 2588  credit card numbers, electronic mailing addresses, telephone
 2589  numbers, emergency contact information, any addresses for a
 2590  parcel owner other than as provided for association notice
 2591  requirements, and other personal identifying information of any
 2592  person, excluding the person’s name, parcel designation, mailing
 2593  address, and property address.
 2594         6. Any electronic security measure that is used by the
 2595  association to safeguard data, including passwords.
 2596         7. The software and operating system used by the
 2597  association which allows the manipulation of data, even if the
 2598  owner owns a copy of the same software used by the association.
 2599  The data is part of the official records of the association.
 2600         (6) BUDGETS.—
 2601         (b) In addition to annual operating expenses, the budget
 2602  may include reserve accounts for capital expenditures and
 2603  deferred maintenance for which the association is responsible.
 2604  If reserve accounts are not established pursuant to paragraph
 2605  (d), funding of such reserves is limited to the extent that the
 2606  governing documents do not limit increases in assessments,
 2607  including reserves. If the budget of the association includes
 2608  reserve accounts established pursuant to paragraph (d), such
 2609  reserves shall be determined, maintained, and waived in the
 2610  manner provided in this subsection. Once an association provides
 2611  for reserve accounts pursuant to paragraph (d) in the budget,
 2612  the association shall thereafter determine, maintain, and waive
 2613  reserves in compliance with this subsection. This section does
 2614  not preclude the termination of a reserve account established
 2615  pursuant to this paragraph upon approval of a majority of the
 2616  total voting interests of the association. Upon such approval,
 2617  the terminating reserve account shall be removed from the
 2618  budget.
 2619         (c)1. If the budget of the association does not provide for
 2620  reserve accounts pursuant to paragraph (d) governed by this
 2621  subsection and the association is responsible for the repair and
 2622  maintenance of capital improvements that may result in a special
 2623  assessment if reserves are not provided, each financial report
 2624  for the preceding fiscal year required by subsection (7) must
 2625  shall contain the following statement in conspicuous type:
 2626  
 2627         THE BUDGET OF THE ASSOCIATION DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR
 2628         RESERVE ACCOUNTS FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND DEFERRED
 2629         MAINTENANCE THAT MAY RESULT IN SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS.
 2630         OWNERS MAY ELECT TO PROVIDE FOR RESERVE ACCOUNTS
 2631         PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 720.303(6),
 2632         FLORIDA STATUTES, UPON OBTAINING THE APPROVAL OF NOT
 2633         LESS THAN A MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL VOTING INTERESTS OF
 2634         THE ASSOCIATION BY VOTE OF THE MEMBERS AT A MEETING OR
 2635         BY WRITTEN CONSENT.
 2636         2.If the budget of the association does provide for
 2637  funding accounts for deferred expenditures, including, but not
 2638  limited to, funds for capital expenditures and deferred
 2639  maintenance, but such accounts are not created or established
 2640  pursuant to paragraph (d), each financial report for the
 2641  preceding fiscal year required under subsection (7) must also
 2642  contain the following statement in conspicuous type:
 2643  
 2644         THE BUDGET OF THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES FOR LIMITED
 2645         VOLUNTARY DEFERRED EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS, INCLUDING
 2646         CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, SUBJECT
 2647         TO LIMITS ON FUNDING CONTAINED IN OUR GOVERNING
 2648         DOCUMENTS. BECAUSE THE OWNERS HAVE NOT ELECTED TO
 2649         PROVIDE FOR RESERVE ACCOUNTS PURSUANT TO SECTION
 2650         720.303(6), FLORIDA STATUTES, THESE FUNDS ARE NOT
 2651         SUBJECT TO THE RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF SUCH FUNDS SET
 2652         FORTH IN THAT STATUTE, NOR ARE RESERVES CALCULATED IN
 2653         ACCORDANCE WITH THAT STATUTE.
 2654         (d) An association is shall be deemed to have provided for
 2655  reserve accounts if when reserve accounts have been initially
 2656  established by the developer or if when the membership of the
 2657  association affirmatively elects to provide for reserves. If
 2658  reserve accounts are not initially provided for by the
 2659  developer, the membership of the association may elect to do so
 2660  upon the affirmative approval of not less than a majority of the
 2661  total voting interests of the association. Such approval may be
 2662  obtained attained by vote of the members at a duly called
 2663  meeting of the membership or by the upon a written consent of
 2664  executed by not less than a majority of the total voting
 2665  interests of the association in the community. The approval
 2666  action of the membership must shall state that reserve accounts
 2667  shall be provided for in the budget and must designate the
 2668  components for which the reserve accounts are to be established.
 2669  Upon approval by the membership, the board of directors shall
 2670  include provide for the required reserve accounts for inclusion
 2671  in the budget in the next fiscal year following the approval and
 2672  in each year thereafter. Once established as provided in this
 2673  subsection, the reserve accounts must shall be funded or
 2674  maintained or shall have their funding waived in the manner
 2675  provided in paragraph (f).
 2676         (f) After one or more Once a reserve account or reserve
 2677  accounts are established, the membership of the association,
 2678  upon a majority vote at a meeting at which a quorum is present,
 2679  may provide for no reserves or less reserves than required by
 2680  this section. If a meeting of the unit owners has been called to
 2681  determine whether to waive or reduce the funding of reserves and
 2682  no such result is not achieved or a quorum is not present, the
 2683  reserves as included in the budget shall go into effect. After
 2684  the turnover, the developer may vote its voting interest to
 2685  waive or reduce the funding of reserves. Any vote taken pursuant
 2686  to this subsection to waive or reduce reserves is shall be
 2687  applicable only to one budget year.
 2688         (g) Funding formulas for reserves authorized by this
 2689  section must shall be based on either a separate analysis of
 2690  each of the required assets or a pooled analysis of two or more
 2691  of the required assets.
 2692         1. If the association maintains separate reserve accounts
 2693  for each of the required assets, the amount of the contribution
 2694  to each reserve account is shall be the sum of the following two
 2695  calculations:
 2696         a. The total amount necessary, if any, to bring a negative
 2697  component balance to zero.
 2698         b. The total estimated deferred maintenance expense or
 2699  estimated replacement cost of the reserve component less the
 2700  estimated balance of the reserve component as of the beginning
 2701  of the period for which the budget will be in effect. The
 2702  remainder, if greater than zero, shall be divided by the
 2703  estimated remaining useful life of the component.
 2704  
 2705  The formula may be adjusted each year for changes in estimates
 2706  and deferred maintenance performed during the year and may
 2707  include factors such as inflation and earnings on invested
 2708  funds.
 2709         2. If the association maintains a pooled account of two or
 2710  more of the required reserve assets, the amount of the
 2711  contribution to the pooled reserve account as disclosed on the
 2712  proposed budget may shall not be less than that required to
 2713  ensure that the balance on hand at the beginning of the period
 2714  for which the budget will go into effect plus the projected
 2715  annual cash inflows over the remaining estimated useful life of
 2716  all of the assets that make up the reserve pool are equal to or
 2717  greater than the projected annual cash outflows over the
 2718  remaining estimated useful lives of all of the assets that make
 2719  up the reserve pool, based on the current reserve analysis. The
 2720  projected annual cash inflows may include estimated earnings
 2721  from investment of principal and accounts receivable minus the
 2722  allowance for doubtful accounts. The reserve funding formula may
 2723  shall not include any type of balloon payments.
 2724         (12)COMPENSATION PROHIBITED.—A director, officer, or
 2725  committee member of the association may not directly receive any
 2726  salary or compensation from the association for the performance
 2727  of duties as a director, officer, or committee member and may
 2728  not in any other way benefit financially from service to the
 2729  association. This subsection does not preclude:
 2730         (a)Participation by such person in a financial benefit
 2731  accruing to all or a significant number of members as a result
 2732  of actions lawfully taken by the board or a committee of which
 2733  he or she is a member, including, but not limited to, routine
 2734  maintenance, repair, or replacement of community assets.
 2735         (b)Reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by
 2736  such person on behalf of the association, subject to approval in
 2737  accordance with procedures established by the association’s
 2738  governing documents or, in the absence of such procedures, in
 2739  accordance with an approval process established by the board.
 2740         (c)Any recovery of insurance proceeds derived from a
 2741  policy of insurance maintained by the association for the
 2742  benefit of its members.
 2743         (d)Any fee or compensation authorized in the governing
 2744  documents.
 2745         (e)Any fee or compensation authorized in advance by a vote
 2746  of a majority of the voting interests voting in person or by
 2747  proxy at a meeting of the members.
 2748         (f)A developer or its representative from serving as a
 2749  director, officer, or committee member of the association and
 2750  benefitting financially from service to the association.
 2751         Section 23. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
 2752  720.304, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 2753         720.304 Right of owners to peaceably assemble; display of
 2754  flag; SLAPP suits prohibited.—
 2755         (2)
 2756         (b) Any homeowner may erect a freestanding flagpole no more
 2757  than 20 feet high on any portion of the homeowner’s real
 2758  property, regardless of any covenants, restrictions, bylaws,
 2759  rules, or requirements of the association, if the flagpole does
 2760  not obstruct sightlines at intersections and is not erected
 2761  within or upon an easement. The homeowner may further display in
 2762  a respectful manner from that flagpole, regardless of any
 2763  covenants, restrictions, bylaws, rules, or requirements of the
 2764  association, one official United States flag, not larger than 4
 2765  1/2 feet by 6 feet, and may additionally display one official
 2766  flag of the State of Florida or the United States Army, Navy,
 2767  Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard, or a POW-MIA flag. Such
 2768  additional flag must be equal in size to or smaller than the
 2769  United States flag. The flagpole and display are subject to all
 2770  building codes, zoning setbacks, and other applicable
 2771  governmental regulations, including, but not limited to, noise
 2772  and lighting ordinances in the county or municipality in which
 2773  the flagpole is erected and all setback and locational criteria
 2774  contained in the governing documents.
 2775         Section 24. Subsection (2) of section 720.305, Florida
 2776  Statutes, is amended to read:
 2777         720.305 Obligations of members; remedies at law or in
 2778  equity; levy of fines and suspension of use rights.—
 2779         (2) If a member is delinquent for more than 90 days in
 2780  paying a monetary obligation due the association the governing
 2781  documents so provide, an association may suspend, until such
 2782  monetary obligation is paid for a reasonable period of time, the
 2783  rights of a member or a member’s tenants, guests, or invitees,
 2784  or both, to use common areas and facilities and may levy
 2785  reasonable fines of up to, not to exceed $100 per violation,
 2786  against any member or any tenant, guest, or invitee. A fine may
 2787  be levied for on the basis of each day of a continuing
 2788  violation, with a single notice and opportunity for hearing,
 2789  except that a no such fine may not shall exceed $1,000 in the
 2790  aggregate unless otherwise provided in the governing documents.
 2791  A fine of less than $1,000 may shall not become a lien against a
 2792  parcel. In any action to recover a fine, the prevailing party is
 2793  entitled to collect its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs
 2794  from the nonprevailing party as determined by the court. The
 2795  provisions regarding the suspension-of-use rights do not apply
 2796  to the portion of common areas that must be used to provide
 2797  access to the parcel or utility services provided to the parcel.
 2798         (a) A fine or suspension may not be imposed without notice
 2799  of at least 14 days notice to the person sought to be fined or
 2800  suspended and an opportunity for a hearing before a committee of
 2801  at least three members appointed by the board who are not
 2802  officers, directors, or employees of the association, or the
 2803  spouse, parent, child, brother, or sister of an officer,
 2804  director, or employee. If the committee, by majority vote, does
 2805  not approve a proposed fine or suspension, it may not be
 2806  imposed. If the association imposes a fine or suspension, the
 2807  association must provide written notice of such fine or
 2808  suspension by mail or hand delivery to the parcel owner and, if
 2809  applicable, to any tenant, licensee, or invitee of the parcel
 2810  owner.
 2811         (b) The requirements of this subsection do not apply to the
 2812  imposition of suspensions or fines upon any member because of
 2813  the failure of the member to pay assessments or other charges
 2814  when due if such action is authorized by the governing
 2815  documents.
 2816         (b)(c) Suspension of common-area-use rights do shall not
 2817  impair the right of an owner or tenant of a parcel to have
 2818  vehicular and pedestrian ingress to and egress from the parcel,
 2819  including, but not limited to, the right to park.
 2820         Section 25. Subsections (7), (8), and (9) of section
 2821  720.306, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 2822         720.306 Meetings of members; voting and election
 2823  procedures; amendments.—
 2824         (7) ADJOURNMENT.—Unless the bylaws require otherwise,
 2825  adjournment of an annual or special meeting to a different date,
 2826  time, or place must be announced at that meeting before an
 2827  adjournment is taken, or notice must be given of the new date,
 2828  time, or place pursuant to s. 720.303(2). Any business that
 2829  might have been transacted on the original date of the meeting
 2830  may be transacted at the adjourned meeting. If a new record date
 2831  for the adjourned meeting is or must be fixed under s. 607.0707
 2832  s. 617.0707, notice of the adjourned meeting must be given to
 2833  persons who are entitled to vote and are members as of the new
 2834  record date but were not members as of the previous record date.
 2835         (8) PROXY VOTING.—The members have the right, unless
 2836  otherwise provided in this subsection or in the governing
 2837  documents, to vote in person or by proxy.
 2838         (a) To be valid, a proxy must be dated, must state the
 2839  date, time, and place of the meeting for which it was given, and
 2840  must be signed by the authorized person who executed the proxy.
 2841  A proxy is effective only for the specific meeting for which it
 2842  was originally given, as the meeting may lawfully be adjourned
 2843  and reconvened from time to time, and automatically expires 90
 2844  days after the date of the meeting for which it was originally
 2845  given. A proxy is revocable at any time at the pleasure of the
 2846  person who executes it. If the proxy form expressly so provides,
 2847  any proxy holder may appoint, in writing, a substitute to act in
 2848  his or her place.
 2849         (b)If the governing documents permit voting by secret
 2850  ballot by members who are not in attendance at a meeting of the
 2851  members for the election of directors, such ballots must be
 2852  placed in an inner envelope with no identifying markings and
 2853  mailed or delivered to the association in an outer envelope
 2854  bearing identifying information reflecting the name of the
 2855  member, the lot or parcel for which the vote is being cast, and
 2856  the signature of the lot or parcel owner casting that ballot. If
 2857  the eligibility of the member to vote is confirmed and no other
 2858  ballot has been submitted for that lot or parcel, the inner
 2859  envelope shall be removed from the outer envelope bearing the
 2860  identification information, placed with the ballots which were
 2861  personally cast, and opened when the ballots are counted. If
 2862  more than one ballot is submitted for a lot or parcel, the
 2863  ballots for that lot or parcel shall be disqualified. Any vote
 2864  by ballot received after the closing of the balloting may not be
 2865  considered.
 2866         (9) ELECTIONS AND BOARD VACANCIES.—Elections of directors
 2867  must be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in
 2868  the governing documents of the association. All members of the
 2869  association are shall be eligible to serve on the board of
 2870  directors, and a member may nominate himself or herself as a
 2871  candidate for the board at a meeting where the election is to be
 2872  held or, if the election process allows voting by absentee
 2873  ballot, in advance of the balloting. Except as otherwise
 2874  provided in the governing documents, boards of directors must be
 2875  elected by a plurality of the votes cast by eligible voters. Any
 2876  election dispute between a member and an association must be
 2877  submitted to mandatory binding arbitration with the division.
 2878  Such proceedings must shall be conducted in the manner provided
 2879  by s. 718.1255 and the procedural rules adopted by the division.
 2880  Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, any vacancy occurring
 2881  on the board before the expiration of a term may be filled by an
 2882  affirmative vote of the majority of the remaining directors,
 2883  even if the remaining directors constitute less than a quorum,
 2884  or by the sole remaining director. In the alternative, a board
 2885  may hold an election to fill the vacancy, in which case the
 2886  election procedures must conform to the requirements of the
 2887  governing documents. Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, a
 2888  board member appointed or elected under this section is
 2889  appointed for the unexpired term of the seat being filled.
 2890  Filling vacancies created by recall is governed by s.
 2891  720.303(10) and rules adopted by the division.
 2892         Section 26. Subsection (8) is added to section 720.3085,
 2893  Florida Statutes, to read:
 2894         720.3085 Payment for assessments; lien claims.—
 2895         (8)If the parcel is occupied by a tenant and the parcel
 2896  owner is delinquent in paying any monetary obligation due to the
 2897  association, the association may demand that the tenant pay to
 2898  the association the future monetary obligations related to the
 2899  parcel. The demand is continuing in nature, and upon demand, the
 2900  tenant must continue to pay the monetary obligations until the
 2901  association releases the tenant or the tenant discontinues
 2902  tenancy in the parcel. A tenant who acts in good faith in
 2903  response to a written demand from an association is immune from
 2904  any claim from the parcel owner.
 2905         (a) If the tenant prepaid rent to the parcel owner before
 2906  receiving the demand from the association and provides written
 2907  evidence of paying the rent to the association within 14 days
 2908  after receiving the demand, the tenant shall receive credit for
 2909  the prepaid rent for the applicable period and must make any
 2910  subsequent rental payments to the association to be credited
 2911  against the monetary obligations of the parcel owner to the
 2912  association. The association shall, upon request, provide the
 2913  tenant with written receipts for payments made. The association
 2914  shall mail written notice to the parcel owner of the
 2915  association’s demand that the tenant pay monetary obligations to
 2916  the association.
 2917         (b) The tenant is not liable for increases in the amount of
 2918  the monetary obligations due unless the tenant was notified in
 2919  writing of the increase at least 10 days before the date on
 2920  which the rent is due. The tenant shall be given a credit
 2921  against rents due to the parcel owner in the amount of
 2922  assessments paid to the association.
 2923         (c) The association may issue notices under s. 83.56 and
 2924  may sue for eviction under ss. 83.59-83.625 as if the
 2925  association were a landlord under part II of chapter 83 if the
 2926  tenant fails to pay a monetary obligation. However, the
 2927  association is not otherwise considered a landlord under chapter
 2928  83 and specifically has no duties under s. 83.51.
 2929         (d) The tenant does not, by virtue of payment of monetary
 2930  obligations, have any of the rights of a parcel owner to vote in
 2931  any election or to examine the books and records of the
 2932  association.
 2933         (e) A court may supersede the effect of this subsection by
 2934  appointing a receiver.
 2935         Section 27. Subsection (6) is added to section 720.31,
 2936  Florida Statutes, to read:
 2937         720.31 Recreational leaseholds; right to acquire;
 2938  escalation clauses.—
 2939         (6)An association may enter into agreements to acquire
 2940  leaseholds, memberships, and other possessory or use interests
 2941  in lands or facilities, including, but not limited to, country
 2942  clubs, golf courses, marinas, submerged land, parking areas,
 2943  conservation areas, and other recreational facilities. An
 2944  association may enter into such agreements regardless of whether
 2945  the lands or facilities are contiguous to the lands of the
 2946  community or whether such lands or facilities are intended to
 2947  provide enjoyment, recreation, or other use or benefit to the
 2948  owners. All leaseholds, memberships, and other possessory or use
 2949  interests existing or created at the time of recording the
 2950  declaration must be stated and fully described in the
 2951  declaration. Subsequent to recording the declaration, agreements
 2952  acquiring leaseholds, memberships, or other possessory or use
 2953  interests not entered into within 12 months after recording the
 2954  declaration may be entered into only if authorized by the
 2955  declaration as a material alteration or substantial addition to
 2956  the common areas or association property. If the declaration is
 2957  silent, any such transaction requires the approval of 75 percent
 2958  of the total voting interests of the association. The
 2959  declaration may provide that the rental, membership fees,
 2960  operations, replacements, or other expenses are common expenses;
 2961  impose covenants and restrictions concerning their use; and
 2962  contain other provisions not inconsistent with this subsection.
 2963  An association exercising its rights under this subsection may
 2964  join with other associations that are part of the same
 2965  development or with a master association responsible for the
 2966  enforcement of shared covenants, conditions, and restrictions in
 2967  carrying out the intent of this subsection. This subsection is
 2968  intended to clarify law in existence before July 1, 2010.
 2969         Section 28. Section 720.315, Florida Statutes, is created
 2970  to read:
 2971         720.315Passage of special assessments.—Before turnover,
 2972  the board of directors controlled by the developer may not levy
 2973  a special assessment unless a majority of the parcel owners
 2974  other than the developer have approved the special assessment by
 2975  a majority vote at a duly called special meeting of the
 2976  membership at which a quorum is present.
 2977         Section 29. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.