Florida Senate - 2026                                     SB 638
       
       
        
       By Senator Trumbull
       
       
       
       
       
       2-00588-26                                             2026638__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to condominium associations; amending
    3         s. 718.111, F.S.; requiring condominium associations
    4         to maintain turnover certificates and annual reports
    5         as part of their official records; amending s.
    6         718.124, F.S.; providing applicability and
    7         construction; amending s. 718.301, F.S.; requiring the
    8         board of administration of a condominium association
    9         to file with the Division of Condominiums, Timeshares,
   10         and Mobile Homes a turnover certificate within a
   11         specified timeframe; requiring that a turnover
   12         certificate include certain information; requiring the
   13         division to maintain a publicly accessible online
   14         database of turnover certificates, which must include
   15         specified information; amending s. 718.501, F.S.;
   16         requiring the division to create and maintain a
   17         searchable electronic database of turnover
   18         certificates; requiring the division to adopt rules;
   19         providing an effective date.
   20          
   21  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   22  
   23         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (12) of section
   24  718.111, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   25         718.111 The association.—
   26         (12) OFFICIAL RECORDS.—
   27         (a) From the inception of the association, the association
   28  shall maintain each of the following items, if applicable, which
   29  constitutes the official records of the association:
   30         1. A copy of the plans, permits, warranties, and other
   31  items provided by the developer under s. 718.301(4).
   32         2. A copy of the recorded declaration of condominium of
   33  each condominium operated by the association and each amendment
   34  to each declaration.
   35         3. A copy of the recorded bylaws of the association and
   36  each amendment to the bylaws.
   37         4. A certified copy of the articles of incorporation of the
   38  association, or other documents creating the association, and
   39  each amendment thereto.
   40         5. A copy of the current rules of the association.
   41         6. A book or books or electronic records that contain the
   42  minutes of all meetings of the association, the board of
   43  administration, any committee, and the unit owners, and a
   44  recording of all such meetings that are conducted by video
   45  conference. If there are approved minutes for a meeting held by
   46  video conference, recordings of meetings that are conducted by
   47  video conference must be maintained for at least 1 year after
   48  the date the video recording is posted as required under
   49  paragraph (g).
   50         7. A current roster of all unit owners and their mailing
   51  addresses, unit identifications, voting certifications, and, if
   52  known, telephone numbers. The association shall also maintain
   53  the e-mail addresses and facsimile numbers of unit owners
   54  consenting to receive notice by electronic transmission. In
   55  accordance with sub-subparagraph (c)5.e., the e-mail addresses
   56  and facsimile numbers are only accessible to unit owners if
   57  consent to receive notice by electronic transmission is
   58  provided, or if the unit owner has expressly indicated that such
   59  personal information can be shared with other unit owners and
   60  the unit owner has not provided the association with a request
   61  to opt out of such dissemination with other unit owners. An
   62  association must ensure that the e-mail addresses and facsimile
   63  numbers are only used for the business operation of the
   64  association and may not be sold or shared with outside third
   65  parties. If such personal information is included in documents
   66  that are released to third parties, other than unit owners, the
   67  association must redact such personal information before the
   68  document is disseminated. However, the association is not liable
   69  for an inadvertent disclosure of the e-mail address or facsimile
   70  number for receiving electronic transmission of notices unless
   71  such disclosure was made with a knowing or intentional disregard
   72  of the protected nature of such information.
   73         8. All current insurance policies of the association and
   74  condominiums operated by the association.
   75         9. A current copy of any management agreement, lease, or
   76  other contract to which the association is a party or under
   77  which the association or the unit owners have an obligation or
   78  responsibility.
   79         10. Bills of sale or transfer for all property owned by the
   80  association.
   81         11. Accounting records for the association and separate
   82  accounting records for each condominium that the association
   83  operates. Any person who knowingly or intentionally defaces or
   84  destroys such records, or who knowingly or intentionally fails
   85  to create or maintain such records, with the intent of causing
   86  harm to the association or one or more of its members, is
   87  personally subject to a civil penalty pursuant to s.
   88  718.501(1)(e). The accounting records must include, but are not
   89  limited to:
   90         a. Accurate, itemized, and detailed records of all receipts
   91  and expenditures, including all bank statements and ledgers.
   92         b. All invoices, transaction receipts, or deposit slips
   93  that substantiate any receipt or expenditure of funds by the
   94  association.
   95         c. A current account and a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly
   96  statement of the account for each unit designating the name of
   97  the unit owner, the due date and amount of each assessment, the
   98  amount paid on the account, and the balance due.
   99         d. All audits, reviews, accounting statements, structural
  100  integrity reserve studies, and financial reports of the
  101  association or condominium. Structural integrity reserve studies
  102  must be maintained for at least 15 years after the study is
  103  completed.
  104         e. All contracts for work to be performed. Bids for work to
  105  be performed are also considered official records and must be
  106  maintained by the association for at least 1 year after receipt
  107  of the bid.
  108         12. Ballots, sign-in sheets, voting proxies, and all other
  109  papers and electronic records relating to voting by unit owners,
  110  which must be maintained for 1 year from the date of the
  111  election, vote, or meeting to which the document relates,
  112  notwithstanding paragraph (b).
  113         13. All rental records if the association is acting as
  114  agent for the rental of condominium units.
  115         14. A copy of the current question and answer sheet as
  116  described in s. 718.504.
  117         15. A copy of the inspection reports described in ss.
  118  553.899 and 718.301(4)(p) and any other inspection report
  119  relating to a structural or life safety inspection of
  120  condominium property. Such record must be maintained by the
  121  association for 15 years after receipt of the report.
  122         16. Bids for materials, equipment, or services.
  123         17. All affirmative acknowledgments made pursuant to s.
  124  718.121(4)(c).
  125         18. A copy of all building permits.
  126         19. A copy of all satisfactorily completed board member
  127  educational certificates.
  128         20. A copy of all affidavits required by this chapter.
  129         21.A copy of the association’s turnover certificate.
  130         22.A copy of the association’s annual report required
  131  under s. 617.1622.
  132         23.21. All other written records of the association not
  133  specifically included in the foregoing which are related to the
  134  operation of the association.
  135         Section 2. Section 718.124, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  136  read:
  137         718.124 Limitation on actions by association.—
  138         (1) The statute of limitations and statute of repose for
  139  any actions in law or equity which a condominium association or
  140  a cooperative association may have do shall not begin to run
  141  until the unit owners have elected a majority of the members of
  142  the board of administration.
  143         (2)The tolling of any applicable statute of limitations
  144  and statute of repose under subsection (1) does not apply to
  145  actions that are subject to s. 95.11(3)(b). Actions that are
  146  subject to s. 95.11(3)(b) must be commenced within the time
  147  periods prescribed in s. 95.11(3)(b), and subsection (1) may not
  148  be construed to extend, suspend, or otherwise toll such
  149  limitation periods.
  150         Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 718.301, Florida
  151  Statutes, is amended to read:
  152         718.301 Transfer of association control; claims of defect
  153  by association.—
  154         (2)(a) Within 75 days after the unit owners other than the
  155  developer are entitled to elect a member or members of the board
  156  of administration of an association, the association shall call,
  157  and give not less than 60 days’ notice of an election for the
  158  members of the board of administration. The election shall
  159  proceed as provided in s. 718.112(2)(d). The notice may be given
  160  by any unit owner if the association fails to do so. Upon
  161  election of the first unit owner other than the developer to the
  162  board of administration, the developer shall forward to the
  163  division the name and mailing address of the unit owner board
  164  member.
  165         (b)Within 30 days after the election in which the unit
  166  owners other than the developer elect a majority of the members
  167  of the board of administration of an association, the board
  168  shall file with the division a turnover certificate. The
  169  turnover certificate must include the date of the election and
  170  the names and mailing addresses of each elected unit owner board
  171  member. The division shall maintain a publicly accessible online
  172  database of turnover certificates which must include the name
  173  and mailing address of each condominium, the date on which
  174  turnover occurred, and a digital copy of the turnover
  175  certificate.
  176         Section 4. Subsection (4) is added to section 718.501,
  177  Florida Statutes, to read:
  178         718.501 Authority, responsibility, and duties of Division
  179  of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes.—
  180         (4)The division shall create and maintain a searchable
  181  electronic database of each turnover certificate filed pursuant
  182  to s. 718.301(2)(b). The database must include the name and
  183  mailing address of each condominium association, the date on
  184  which turnover occurred, and a digital copy of the turnover
  185  certificate. The division shall adopt rules prescribing the form
  186  and content of the turnover certificate and the procedures for
  187  electronically filing a turnover certificate.
  188         Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.