Florida Senate - 2017                                     SB 948
       
       
        
       By Senator Stewart
       
       
       
       
       
       13-01257-17                                            2017948__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the assessment of properties
    3         affected by imported or domestic drywall; amending s.
    4         193.1552, F.S.; extending the expiration date of
    5         provisions specifying requirements for property
    6         appraisers to adjust assessed values of certain
    7         properties that are affected by certain imported or
    8         domestic drywall; making a technical change; providing
    9         an effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Section 193.1552, Florida Statutes, is amended
   14  to read:
   15         193.1552 Assessment of properties affected by imported or
   16  domestic drywall.—
   17         (1) As used in this section, the term “imported or domestic
   18  drywall” means drywall that contains elevated levels of
   19  elemental sulfur that results in corrosion of certain metals.
   20         (2) When a property appraiser determines that a single
   21  family residential property is affected by imported or domestic
   22  drywall and needs remediation to bring that property up to
   23  current building standards, the property appraiser shall adjust
   24  the assessed value of that property by taking into consideration
   25  the presence of the imported or domestic drywall and the impact
   26  of such drywall on the assessed value. If the building cannot be
   27  used for its intended purpose without remediation or repair, the
   28  value of such building shall be assessed at the nominal just
   29  value of $0.
   30         (3) This section applies only to properties in which:
   31         (a) Imported or domestic drywall was used in the
   32  construction of the property or an improvement to the property.
   33         (b) The imported or domestic drywall has a significant
   34  negative impact on the just value of the property or
   35  improvement.
   36         (c) The purchaser was unaware of the imported or domestic
   37  drywall at the time of purchase.
   38         (4) This section does not apply to property owners who were
   39  aware of the presence of imported or domestic drywall at the
   40  time of purchase.
   41         (5) Homestead property to which this section applies shall
   42  be considered damaged by misfortune or calamity under s.
   43  193.155(4)(b), except that the 3-year deadline does not apply.
   44         (6) Homestead property shall not be considered abandoned
   45  when a homeowner vacates such property for the purpose of
   46  remediation and repair under this section, provided the
   47  homeowner does not establish a new homestead.
   48         (7) Upon the substantial completion of remediation and
   49  repairs, the property shall be assessed as if such imported or
   50  domestic drywall had not been present.
   51         (8) This section expires is repealed July 1, 2025 2017,
   52  unless reviewed and reenacted by the Legislature on or before
   53  that date.
   54         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.