SB 1046 passed an amendment that will restrict a licensee to perform both the pre-test and the remediation or the remediation and the post-test.
This makes PERFECT sense. They did however restrict Statute 489 contractors from meeting this criteria. BAD BAD BAD.
I am working on a large condo project right now where the contractor tore out the drywall did the build back and the unit has airborne STACHY. This is happening everywhere.
The last meeting the DBPR had in Naples, I attended and it was clear that the DBPR wants 489 contractors to get training as a part of their license and CE requirements. No mention of it in the Bill.
Representative Allen pulled the HI Bill HB153 because it lacked the Governors support. It does not mean that a HI Bill can’t be introduced and attached to the mold bill. The Bill lacked just about everything that the Governor wants. Alternatives to licensure.
Richard,
FAPHI has never changed its position on licensing. If anything FAPHI has been the only one sticking to its original opinion and hasn’t waivers one inch. I posted the results of the workshops some time ago and it got very little response from anyone on this BB or any other. The only responses were a couple short half hearted replies that the bill was dead, that it had been pulled, meanwhile Rep. Allen told me the plan was to hang it on the end of the Mold Bill. There has been no sign that has happened but if you remember last year the Mold bill got hung onto the end of the HI bill at the very last second and that is what defeated the bill in its entirety. At one point the HI bill last year was almost identical to what FAPHI had suggested in its position statement, but that quickly got changed the closer the bill got to a vote on the floor. How many of us were told by Reps that they would vote against the HI bill yet there were only a few vote in the NAY column. I too have been told that if the HI bill does not meet DBPR 's smell test it will not be passed. It seems a lot of people around the State are being Polly Anna and waiting for “someone else” to do something. This is typical and has happened every year since licensing first got proposed. Too many are hoping nothing will happen but are not preparing in case it does. The Rep to call for answers is Rep Domino. Ive tried to call his office numerous times but only get a recording. FAPHI 's only power is in its members getting involved and making their voices heard. Last year some people got involved while others were just standing around wringing their hands and complaining that not enough was being done and waiting for a miracle.
There are many members who have know idea how much personal time and money the FAPHI members have spent going to Tallahassee, organizing the State membership, and of course supporting the efforts of the NACHI legislative committee.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
If you are interested in joining and making true personal sacrifices to the cause vs. sitting on the sidelines, please contact Doug or visit www.faphi.org today!
Jay,
Thank you. The real thanks goes to all those who did get out to talk to their reps, sent emails, went to Tallahassee, wrote letters and went out of their way to inform others about what was and is going on. I am willing to wager that today March 10th, there are HI in Florida who do not even know that there was a bill last year or this year or any year. They are not involved in any kind of National Assoc. (pick one) State Assoc. or for that matter any Association or Society. When and if licensing ever becomes a reality they will still be clueless. There are three kinds of people in this world; those that make things happen, those that watch things happen, and those who say “What the hell just happened?” If home inspectors continue to sit around fighting among themselves, picking on a banjo will wake up one day to find someone else is running their industry and making business decisions for them. Think about the mold bill. Do you really want the Building Licensing Board to decide if you can do business in the Mold Assessment business. Look at the make up of the board. What does a Sheet Metal contractor know about Mold assessment? Even the “Mold (IAQ) people” (there’s a dubious title) aren’t really involved in this bill until lately and only then at the insistance of some Home Inspectors bringing it to their attention that this bill could put them out of the loop. FAPHI does not have any position on the Mold bill but if the HI bill gets shoved in at the last minute it becomes an issue.
I guess what I am saying is Everyone needs to get involved. Thank you again Jay. You have been on the front end of this thing since last year as well. Many thanks to all who were and still are.
The most glaring aspect of the mold bill is the $300,000 being appropriated for it. The Gov. wants no part of it. He wants an alternative to licensure.
For those of you reading the end of this thread, please look at my first post.
Who is sponsoring this bill or created it. Give the names and I will do the leg work and their type of employment when they are not at Capital and ask for their campain contrabution lists. I love finding hiding RATS.
I agree, FAPHI has been resolute in their position on home inspector licensing and their approach has garnered much support within the profession, but they are not the only group to be steadfast with their position. FABI has also held fast to their vision of licensing too, and no one knows how this will end up, but this is a given… home inspectors in Florida will one day be licensed.
I have said it before and I will say it until licensing arrives… get involved and be prepared so that no matter what happens you will not suffer from the pending legislation. Get the accredited training, pass the proctored tests, acquire the verifiable CEU’s; should licensing be delayed the worst that can happen is that you become a better, more respected home inspector who is able to charge a higher fee for your service.
Posting on this BB does not get the message to many FL inspectors
Most don’t have the time or money to get involved
Most don’t know what to do when they do get involved
A bill to regulate about 5000 people (my guess) in Florida sort of an over kill UNLESS it is a good bill
A good bill protects the public not HI’s
A good bill does not have requirements that have little or nothing to do with protecting the public
A good bill looks at all HI’s not just the new person
A good bill asks for a test of knowledge to get started and for RENEWAL additional knowledge and experience
A good bill does not require a lot of $$ to enter the profession and to maintain same
Doug
I feel that many feel that past bills were very good or at least good enough to work with. And failed for not one but many reasons
My question is NOW what??
I AM NOT ONE TO JUST TRUST A SMALL GROUP TO TELL ME HOW MY PROFESSION IS GOING TO BE REGULATED.
If Domino is one of the keys Ok.
As a real short note if a draft bill were to be presented with signature support of 3000 plus HI’s it sure would help to get it passed. Better that 500 plus sending emails against a bill.
So thank for you and Jay for posting of the results of the workgroup. Keep up the good work.
Now what?? Sure don’t like the idea of just siting around waiting for information to hit the BB
Richard,
Its always been my belief if you want answers go to the source. Anyone smart enough to start their own home inspection company has enough gray matter to talk to their reps. You would be surprised just how easy it is. Many of them are just working people. Unlike our reps in Washington our State reps actually have to have real jobs in order to live. Call them up and make an appointment. Send an email, or a letter. I call them on the phone. I always ask who I am talking to. Take notes, better yet write down the questions you intend to ask before you call. Right now its just a matter of finding out what the Reps are doing and what the bill contains. Thats how we got information last year and all the years before. By asking questions. You made one comment I need to touch on. A good bill HAS to protect both or all parties equally. At least in the State of Florida it does. No law or bill can favor one of the effected parties over another. There are valid reasons for licensing, no argument there. HOW and WHO gets to determine this has always been the sore spot for most. When you see people pushing something and those same people stand to make the most money from it to the exclusion of others than it is wrong. Should there be standards, absolutely! FAPHI’s position paper even states this not just once but many times. Too many other States have had HI bills rushed thru only to regret it later because everything was not thought out or considered. A couple of workshops conducted by folks who don’t know a home inspector from home plate may not be the answer. The workshops gathered a lot of information but only because there were HI who made themselves available to explain some the nuances. Even then if you read the outcome it appears at least to me that they came away with just as many or more new questions about Home inspectors and Mold Assessors than they began with. Face it. This is a very unique profession we are in. Nothing ordinary about it and yet too many want to shove us into a square hole. I suspect from listening in here to people over the country that Home Inspections in say Washington State may not be the same as here in Florida. Heck, for that matter I saw trucks in Orlando that said this Inspector would come out and catch a damn snake if you needed him to. I don’t know about you but I don’t do SNAKE! I would really like to see Florida take the time and the effort to really do it right but first has to determine does it need to be done at all. Has there been a demand from the public for HI licensing? Not around here. Maybe in south Florida, I do not know. Ive looked high and low and can not find any public outcry on the subject. That is one of the criteria in Florida. Is the bill fair to all parties? Many of these same questions were not answered at the workshops.
Thinking about filing a little ethic’s complaint since he is sponsoring a bill with grandfathering that could benefit his business. Someone has to ask me to first. Florida HI only.
Think about this first. Is what he is doing unethical? And if you did file an ethics complaint how long would it take to get anywhere to do anything? You and I could old gray men before anything was done about it if ever. One you would have to prove there was unethical behavior and at this point there really isn’t any. Remember, this bill was on the Governor’s desk last year so there was already plenty of time for anyone who had any doubts about the ethics involved to have already thought of it. It is important to always keep your eye on the ball especially when dealing with politics. I would be more inclined to approach his office in a manner that will gather helpful information and not in an adversarial role. Offer input rather than look for the booger behind the tree. I have read through the bill several times and I can’t see where the bill even remotely looks like what Gov. Bush asked for so he could sign it. That may be where the bill gets to again this year. who knows? Go back and read last years bill and compare it to this years so when you do write or talk to your reps you can point out the deficiencies or the unanswered questions. What about the licensing board makeup? What about the required insurance? The training? How can the bill require something that is not even available to those who may want to get into the business. Is the bill going to put some out of business or curtail some of their ancillary inspections, lost revenue, lost jobs. NO politician can stand to hear those words. It creeps them out cause they know if they are part to losing jobs it will come back to bite them. Artful negociations is pointing out the benefits to the party you are trying to influence. Threats rarely work. Americans just do not respond well to threats. We want to bow up.
