Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 802
       
       
        
       By Senator Rodriguez
       
       
       
       
       
       40-00889A-24                                           2024802__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Condominium Windstorm Pilot
    3         Program; amending s. 627.351, F.S.; requiring the
    4         Office of Insurance Regulation to establish the
    5         Condominium Windstorm Pilot Program for a specified
    6         purpose; requiring the office to submit certain
    7         information to the Legislature by a date certain;
    8         authorizing the office to adopt rules; providing for
    9         the expiration of the pilot program; requiring a
   10         majority vote of the total voting interests of a
   11         condominium association in order to participate in the
   12         pilot program; providing requirements for associations
   13         to participate in the pilot program; requiring that
   14         insurance policies issued under the pilot program
   15         align with the reserves of an association; providing
   16         requirements for associations participating in the
   17         pilot program; authorizing the office, in
   18         collaboration with other stakeholders, to create
   19         certain educational materials; amending s. 718.111,
   20         F.S.; authorizing associations to participate in the
   21         pilot program beginning on a date certain; conforming
   22         provisions to changes made by the act; providing an
   23         effective date.
   24          
   25  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   26  
   27         Section 1. Paragraph (nn) is added to subsection (6) of
   28  section 627.351, Florida Statutes, to read:
   29         627.351 Insurance risk apportionment plans.—
   30         (6) CITIZENS PROPERTY INSURANCE CORPORATION.—
   31         (nn)The office shall establish the Condominium Windstorm
   32  Pilot Program to provide insurance coverage to residential
   33  condominium associations which covers the actual cash value of
   34  the roof of a participating condominium, rather than the
   35  replacement cost value. The office shall create a schedule of
   36  depreciation and any other requirements for the program and
   37  submit such information to the President of the Senate and the
   38  Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 31, 2024.
   39  The office may adopt rules to implement this paragraph. This
   40  paragraph expires July 1, 2029.
   41         1.A residential condominium association must receive
   42  approval by a majority vote of the total voting interests of the
   43  association to participate in the pilot program. The vote may
   44  take place at the annual budget meeting of the association or at
   45  a condominium unit owner meeting called for the purpose of
   46  taking such vote. Before a vote of the condominium unit owners
   47  may be taken, the association must provide to the condominium
   48  unit owners a clear disclosure of the pilot program on a form
   49  created by the office. The president and treasurer of the
   50  association must sign the disclosure form indicating that a copy
   51  of the form was provided to each condominium unit owner of the
   52  association. The signed disclosure form and the minutes from the
   53  meeting at which the condominium unit owners voted to
   54  participate in the pilot program must be maintained as part of
   55  the official records of the association and be provided to the
   56  corporation at initial issuance of the policy and as part of the
   57  association’s annual policy renewal process. Within 14 days
   58  after an affirmative vote to participate in the pilot program,
   59  the association must provide written notice in the same manner
   60  as required under s. 718.112(2)(d) to all condominium unit
   61  owners of the decision to participate in the pilot program.
   62         2.An insurance policy issued under the pilot program must
   63  ensure that the actual cash value of the residential condominium
   64  association’s roof aligns with the reserves required under s.
   65  718.112(2)(f).
   66         3.A residential condominium association that participates
   67  in the pilot program must have biannual roof inspections and
   68  submit such inspections, along with the association’s most
   69  recent structural integrity reserve study, if required, to the
   70  corporation at initial issuance of the policy and as part of the
   71  association’s annual policy renewal process.
   72         4.The office may collaborate with the corporation and
   73  other relevant stakeholders to develop educational materials
   74  that inform residential condominium associations and their
   75  members about the pilot program and the importance of
   76  maintaining and documenting roof upkeep.
   77         Section 2. Paragraph (p) is added to subsection (11) of
   78  section 718.111, Florida Statutes, to read:
   79         718.111 The association.—
   80         (11) INSURANCE.—In order to protect the safety, health, and
   81  welfare of the people of the State of Florida and to ensure
   82  consistency in the provision of insurance coverage to
   83  condominiums and their unit owners, this subsection applies to
   84  every residential condominium in the state, regardless of the
   85  date of its declaration of condominium. It is the intent of the
   86  Legislature to encourage lower or stable insurance premiums for
   87  associations described in this subsection.
   88         (p)Beginning July 1, 2024, a residential condominium
   89  association may participate in the Condominium Windstorm Pilot
   90  Program under s. 627.351(6)(nn). This paragraph expires July 1,
   91  2029.
   92         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.