Rep. Juan Alfonso Fernandez-Barquin

Consumer Finance Loans; Prohibits person from operating branch of business making consumer finance loans before authorized to do so & obtaining license from OFR; revises maximum interest rate on consumer finance loans; revises minimum amount of time before which delinquency charge for each payment in default may be imposed; requires licensees offering assistance program to borrowers after federally declared major disaster to send notice to office; requires licensees to file annual reports; requires licensees to suspend specified actions for after federally declared disaster.

Use of Phosphogypsum; Authorizes DOT to undertake demonstration projects using phosphogypsum in road construction aggregate material; requires DOT to conduct study on phosphogypsum as construction aggregate material; provides that phosphogypsum used under specified circumstances is not solid waste & is allowed use in state; authorizes placement of phosphogypsum in specified stack systems.

County Constitutional Officers; Prohibits county from creating office, special district, or governmental unit, or expanding powers or authority of such office, district, or unit, under certain conditions; provides county commissioner is guilty of misfeasance or malfeasance in office under certain conditions; authorizes state to withhold county funding under certain conditions; authorizes county constitutional officers & residents to bring action in circuit court.

Chiefs of Police; Prohibits municipality from terminating chief of police without providing chief of police written notice; requires municipality to allow chief of police to appear & provide full & complete response to his or her termination at specified public meeting; prohibits employment contract from including certain provisions.

Homeowners' Associations; Revises provisions relating to homeowners' associations including official records, fines & suspensions, attorney fees & costs, liens, & removing & reinstating certain officers & directors from office; prohibits certain funds from being commingled with association funds & requires certain accounting and remittance of funds within specified timeframe; provides criminal & civil penalties for actions by officers, directors, or managers of association & requires disclosures; provides criminal penalties for fraudulent voting activities.

Real Property Fraud; Creates Title Fraud Prevention Through Identity Verification Pilot Program; authorizes clerk to require production of government-issued photographic ID card before recording deed & provides requirements therefor; provides requirements for clerk; provides clerk is not required to allow access to record or other information that is confidential & exempt; requires clerk to create, maintain, & operate opt-in recording notification service; requires clerk to ensure that registration for such service is possible through electronic registration portal; provides action may be brought to quiet title after fraudulent attempted conveyance; revises requirements for recording instruments affecting real property.

Collateral Protection Insurance; Providing a restriction on insurance charges made to mortgagors; providing for the calculation of collateral protection insurance coverages and premiums, providing construction relating to noncircumvention, etc.

Group Health Plans; Revises definition of & providing requirements for bona fide groups for purposes of issuance of certificates of authority & multiple-employer welfare arrangements.

Environmental Protection; Revises, creates, & repeals various provisions relating to procedures & requirements for acquisition, retention, & disposal of state lands & prioritization of projects relating to such lands.

Law Enforcement Operations; Revises powers, duties, & obligations of sheriff; requires there be elected sheriff in each county; requires board of county commissioners of any such county to ensure successful transfer of policing responsibility & authority to sheriff; provides requirements for sheriff-elect after election is certified but before taking office; authorizes certain persons to file petition with DOAH, rather than appeal by petition to Administration Commission, if tentative municipal law enforcement agency budget contains certain reduction.