TALLAHASSEE -- With
less than 72 hours left in this year's legislative session, the sponsor of
a mammoth condo relief bill that grew even more as lawmakers tacked on new
provisions declared Tuesday that the proposal can take no more changes.
The announcement by sponsor Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff,
R-Fort Lauderdale, left at least two South Florida delegation members
frustrated in their attempts to add two more amendments to the condo bill,
which is more than 100 pages long, with at least 13 amendments.
Among the provisions in the proposed law: delaying
the mandate to upgrade fire alarms and elevators -- which would save money
for condo owners -- and reducing fees for investors who want to buy more
than seven units in a particular complex.
Gov. Charlie Crist has indicated he wants to bring
condo associations some relief this session, since it is a top concern
among voters. Bogdanoff's bill will likely pass the House this week; an
identical bill already has cleared the Senate.
Seeing the bill as a political jackpot, a number of
lawmakers want their fingerprints on it. On Tuesday, Rep. Kelly Skidmore,
D-Boca Raton, asked for an addition that would allow condo residents who
are not owners to join condo boards.
Another request, sponsored by Rep. Julio Robaina,
R-Miami, would allow the state to review the records of condo managers if
complaints are filed about the manager.
Robaina, who earlier this session said Bogdanoff was
unwilling to take his suggestions on the bill, said House members had
tried again this week to make alterations to the bill but gotten little
response from Bogdanoff.
"We could tweak this bill 'til June, but we
have to sign the guy by Friday,'' said Bogdanoff, who encouraged her
fellow House members to reject any more amendments.
Any changes would mean that the bill would have to
return to the Senate for a vote. If the Senate made more changes, the bill
would bounce back to the House -- potentially derailing the chances of a
condo relief bill clearing both chambers before Friday's end of session.
Bodganoff's bill has become, in Tallahassee
parlance, a "train'' -- meaning it can have a large number of
additional issues attached to it. The session started with at least 60
condo bills but committees winnowed them to down to two identical bills --
one sponsored by Bogdanoff in the House, the other by Sen. Mike Fasano,
R-New Port Richey, in the Senate.