TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed the legislation at the heart of this week’s special session at the statehouse, making official reforms to Florida’s ailing property insurance market and the state’s condominium laws.
The Republican governor OK’d the bills on Thursday afternoon roughly a day after they passed the Florida House, putting the finishing touches on a rapid session that lasted three days in Tallahassee.
The bills: The property insurance bill was widely criticized by Democrats for not going far enough to address Florida’s problems yet overwhelming majorities in both chambers signed off on the plan. The legislation attempts to crack down on roof fraud and includes new legal tweaks, a $150 million pot of cash for home-hardening grants and a $2 billion reinsurance fund.
The condo safety bill is a reaction from the Legislature to the 2021 Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside that killed 98 people. The package, a second ditch effort by lawmakers after negotiations failed in March, creates new mandatory inspection requirements and restrictions for how ownership associations can waive and spend reserves meant for crucial repairs.
“This package represents the most significant reforms to Florida’s homeowners insurance market in a generation,” DeSantis said in a statement. “These bills will help stabilize a problematic market, help Floridians harden their homes through the My Safe Florida Home Program, and pave the way for more choices for homeowners.”