A word from FHBA Governmental Affairs Committee Chair , Alton Lister Hello FHBA ,
I know it ’ s not the first time you ’ ve heard it , but since the start of this Session in early January , the pace has been fast and furious !
At FHBA , our goal is simple – we work to represent the interest of Florida ’ s home building industry and create the best possible economic and regulatory environment for our members to succeed . To do that , we are on the front lines in the legislative process — examining every bill , every amendment , and every debate — to advocate for those issues that help and support Florida ’ s home builders and to strongly oppose those pieces of legislation that will cause harm and weaken our industry .
As we came into this year , we knew we had three difficult challenges : ratification of stormwater rules that had not been updated in 40 years , and two bills that were priorities for very powerful legislators ; one seeking to address contractor fraud , the other looking to provide warranty transfers to subsequent purchasers .
As you read this review , I think you will agree that we fared well with these three battles . But our work certainly did not stop there .
We advanced legislation on mobility fees , enabled 16- and 17-year-olds to gain real world experience safely on residential construction sites , passed a preemption of workplace heat exposure requirements , and secured full funding of the Sadowski Trust Fund .
Sadly , we couldn ’ t win every battle . With no legislative fix for the unintended consequences of the new windborne debris definition in the newest edition of the Florida Building Code , our team now pivots to coordinating efforts with the FHBA Building Codes and Standards Committee to continue addressing this issue through the regulatory process .
I hope you enjoy the read ,
Alton
2024 FHBA Legislative Summary I 3