contrActorLicenSingBiLLSofftogovernorforSignAture
Construction law Section Chairs : AlexM . Sarsfield & KimberlyA . Kelley — PaskertDiversThompson , P . A .
onceenacted , thesestatutes willallow — orrequire — manycontractorstoadjust theircontracts , scopesof work , orseeklicensure .
While it seems like every legislative session brings dozens of proposed statutes with the potential to impact contractors , this year , five different statutes have made it through both Florida ’ s House and Senate and are poised to take effect July 1 , 2024 if signed by Governor DeSantis . All five statutes make changes to Chapter 489 , Florida Statutes , which governs contractor licensing .
HB 481 – Amends § 489.105 , Florida Statutes , which will alter the scope of work permitted under Class A and Class B Air Conditioning Contractor licenses , and Mechanical Contractor Licenses , to allow additional line or load side electrical work on single-phase electrical systems . This statute also makes significant changes to consumer protection laws relating to HVAC system warranties in Chapter 559 , Florida Statutes .
HB 917 – Amends § 489.1455 and § 489.5335 , Florida Statutes , which will allow local municipalities to issue certain journeyman licenses to people who have completed state-approved apprenticeship programs ( also created by the bill ), or have 12,000 hours of on-the-job training in the relevant trade .
HB 939 – Amends the recently enacted § 489.147 , Florida Statutes , which will allow residential property owners to cancel any contract to
replace or repair a roof within 10 days of execution , or the start of the work , whichever is sooner , if the contract was entered into based on events that are the subject of a declaration of a state of emergency by the Governor . The amendment also includes required language for roofing contracts executed during a state of emergency .
SB 1142 – Amending § 163.211 , Florida Statutes , and § 489.113 , Florida Statutes , which will extend the full expiration of local licensing and the issuance of additional categories of specialty licenses by the Construction Industry Licensing Board to July 1 , 2025 . The bill also amends § 489.117 , Florida Statutes , to require Florida ’ s Construction Industry Licensing Board to issue registrations ( county-specific licenses ) to contractors who held a local license corresponding to a state-wide license defined in Chapter 489 , Florida Statutes , in 2021 , 2022 , or 2023 , but which is no longer being offered by the local municipality .
HB 1335 – Amending § 489.143 , Florida Statutes , which will allow local licensing boards to recommend restitution to the state Construction Industry Licensing Board and to require any recommendations made by a local licensing board to specify the sections of Chapter 489 , Florida Statutes , on which it is based . Amending § 489.143 , Florida Statutes , which will increase Homeowner ’ s Recovery Fund payouts to $ 100,000 maximum for each Division I claim , and to $ 30,000 maximum for each Division II claim , starting January 1 , 2025 . Further , the total aggregate claims payable per licensee is increased to $ 2,000,000 for each Division I contractor and $ 600,000 for each Division II contractor . Finally § 489.505 , Florida Statutes , is amended to expand electrical specialty licenses to include both electrical and nonelectrical advertising signs , and their interrelated parts .
Once enacted , these statutes will allow — or require — many contractors to adjust their contracts , scopes of work , or seek licensure as local licensure expires and state licensure expands . n
Learn about upcoming HCBA events at hillsbar . com .
Author : Jason S . Lambert – Hill , Ward & Henderson , P . A .
2 0 M A y - J u N 2 0 2 4 | H C B A L A W y E R