Great American Go-Kart Race
Each year local, state and national Realtor associations fundraise for RPAC. Our local association holds an annual go-kart race to fundraise for RPAC. This race is held at the Daytona Lagoon and offers several different ways to participate. Typically there are 18-20 teams that are sponsored by local brokerages and business partners. Agents can also purchase spectator tickets which provide dinner, and access to the dry activities in the park. This has become quite the event and gets very competitive. There are sponsorship opportunities as well.
RPAC stands for the Realtor Political Action Committee, this committee is not a red or blue political party, it is the Realtor party. This PAC works for the Realtor profession and supports policies and legislation in our local, state and national arenas geared towards protecting homeowner's rights along with supporting candidates for office who share the same view on these topics. Now is more important than ever as there are so many topics that are at the top of the priority list. Below are a few of the pressing issues (and recent wins).
- Priority – SB 102 (Live Local Act): The comprehensive affordable housing bill that was a major priority for Florida Realtors® this year. This bill includes the statewide ban on rent control that we advocated for.
- Priority – HB 7063 (Tax Package): Includes a 1% cut to the Business Rent Tax, bringing it down from 5.5% to 4.5%, saving businesses approximately $260 million. This cut will take effect on Dec. 1, 2023, followed by the planned reduction to 2% in August 2024.
- Priority – HB 761 (Telephone Solicitation): Amends certain provisions of the Florida Telephone Solicitation Act (FTSA) to clarify definitions and written consent requirements to put an end to frivolous lawsuits against brokerages and other businesses.
- Priority – SB 7052 (Insurer Accountability): Contains a number of provisions intended to increase consumer protection and insurer accountability in Florida.
- Priority – HB 881 (My Safe Florida Home Program): Expands eligibility requirements of the home hardening grant program known as My Safe Florida Home and allocates an additional $100 million for the program.
- Priority – SB 154 (Condominium and Cooperative Associations): Clarifies previous condo reforms, such as who can perform milestone inspections, flood insurance requirements, the specific items subject to a structural integrity reserve study, and the resale disclosure requirements associated with milestone inspections, reserve studies and newly added turnover inspection reports.
- Bill of Interest – SB 770 (Residential Loan Alternative Agreements): Created to stop certain very long-term listing agreements that were causing consumer harm. The original bill penalized legitimate real estate practices. Worked with lawmakers to amend the bill so long-standing real estate practices were not prevented.
- Bill of Interest – HB 133 (Fees in Lieu of Security Deposits): Provides the option for a landlord to offer a tenant to pay a fee in lieu of a security deposit.
- Bill of Interest – SB 574 (Termination of Agreements by a Servicemember): Provides clarity about the type of housing eligible for lease termination if a service member receives military orders.
- Bill of Interest – HB 1091 (Licensing Fee Relief): Instructs the Florida Department of Professional and Business Regulation (DBPR) to waive 50% of the initial licensing fee and 50% of a licensee’s renewal fee for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 fiscal years.
- Bill of Interest – HB 1379 (Environmental Protection): Comprehensive water quality bill that focuses on areas of the state with a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP), reasonable assurance plan or other pollution reduction plan.
- Bill of Interest – SB 678 (Disposal of Property): Allows the Florida Department of Transportation to transfer property to a governmental entity without consideration if the property will be used for affordable housing.
- Bill of Interest – SB 264 (Interests of Foreign Countries): Limits and regulates the sale, purchase and ownership of certain properties in Florida by specific foreign principals, persons and entities.
- Bill of Interest – HB 793 (Collateral Protection Insurance on Real Property): Establishes a legal framework for the writing of forced-placed insurance coverage on real property in Florida. The bill specifies the coverage and premium must be based on a home’s “last known” replacement cost, maintains the separation between lenders or servicers and insurers or insurance agents, and minimizes the possibilities of unfair competition practices in the sale, placement, or solicitation and negotiation of CPI.