The area’s state representative, Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, said he is working with representatives from the development and building industry to come up with something they can live with, something that’s meaningful for homeowners— but won’t face what he called a firing squad of opposition from the beginning. 

CHIP has wanted to require all deed-restricted communities, most particularly those still under the control of the developer, to account for amenity fees taken in. It convinced the county to pass an ordinance requiring such — only to learn that many developments are exempt from such requirements by state statute. 

What state requirements exist on reporting, have no teeth and aren’t enforced. 

CHIP was disappointed in last year’s session with state Sen. Anna Cowin’s late and weak effort to get a bill passed. Cowin washed her hands of the issue after stinging criticism from CHIP on not keeping her promise to push their bill. 

Baxley has been working with veteran Rep. Nancy Argenziano, who represents a portion of southwest Marion, hoping to capitalize on her seniority and sway with some industry officials. 

The problem with changing the law, Baxley said, is that even those responsible industry representatives who would go along with some changes in requirements are afraid to open a window on the statute unless they know exactly what the changes will be. 

When a bill, such as the one proposed by CHIP is introduced, Baxley said, that can open a window for others to amend it with all kinds of other unplanned, undesirable and even unrelated changes. That’s the kind of thing that can make legislators withdraw their own bills, he said. 

Ensuring that this doesn’t happen, he said, takes a lot of conferencing and a lot of careful lobbying of committee members. 

In short, he said, it takes a lot of trust building and lining up of members. 

“We’re still in that stage of discussing it,” he said. In a session most preoccupied with budget shortfalls and reapportionment, that isn’t an easy task, he noted. 

And though he said that “the jury is still out” on the issue, he remains optimistic. “I’m still hopeful there is something doable here.” 

Though, admittedly, it will be a hard session to get such a bill through, he said, he added “I don’t think we’re that far apart.” 

The session begins Jan. 22, and Baxley said he expects a bill to be filed shortly after that. 

                Read the Story of the CHIP Bill so far