Yes. As I have been sadly enlightened a few days ago, licensing is Florida is iminent. The State is seeking consumer protection and insurance reform.
I was not given a threat, but a bonafide promise. The HBA is going to push through the Dempsey Bill or the Coalition.
I would rather accept a version that is in the best interests of NACHI, then one that we had absolutely no input. The Coalition revision will include NACHI as one of the board members.
This mirrors what has been done in Kentucky. The testing requirement will model Montana.
This year is different. The current economics of our State and the voiced position statement from the Florida Association of Realtors, makes it impossible to believe that legislation would not happen in some form.
The question to ask is will Florida be better off worth licensing? The coalition bill allows those in business today to continue to be in business. New entrants would need 150 hrs of ed and 75 hrs of field to only be provided by the educator. No mentoring allowed. Only mock inspections performed. No inspection would be done on an actual real estate for sale contract.
20 hrs of CE per year after one year. As a NACHI member we are required 24. I see no reason not to believe this is our best option at this time. The coalition and the HBA, FAR, and FREC has been told that if any unapproved changes occur to the coalition bill without NACHI support, we would fight it.
There is currently nothing in the coalition bill that is not already required being a NACHI member with the exception of GL insurance.
The Dempsey Bill has language that would not allow an inspector to defend themselves causing a lawsuit. It would force businesses to carry E&O because Dempsey is also working on the behalf of the insurance industry. The Florida BAR will be waiting with bated breath.
Dempseys goal is to get it passed in special session because there would not be enough time for lawmakers to debate the bill. If a strong lobby group like FAR or FREC were to support it, the lawmakers would give it passage without questioning it.
If the coalition can get FAR, FREC, HBA to support our compromised work, then we can go about our business with little or no worries.
Look at the Dempsey bill as a whole and you will see what I am talking about.
My work has nothing to do with the coalition. It is about giving NACHI a seat at the table where we were never accepted over the past 8 years.
HB315 was killed over Mold. If signed by the Governor, we figure more than 60% of the Florida NACHI membership would have been out of work.
The coalition has nothing to do with Hoopy or ID. Two years ago seems light years away compared to the progress that has been made since last Spring when I was introduced to key non-NACHI inspectors looking to extend the olive branch.
Everyone at that table has walked away feeling more and more comfortable knowing that NACHI is more than an online test association.