Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Consumer Protection topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee clarifies debt-collection law to apply only to phone calls, bill advances
Summary
CS/SB 232, clarifying that Florida’s prohibited-communication hours in the consumer collections statute apply only to phone calls (not emails or texts), was adopted with a delete-all amendment and reported favorably by committee.
The Banking and Insurance Committee advanced CS for Senate Bill 232 on Oct. 12 after adopting a delete-all amendment that clarifies Florida’s consumer-collection statute regulates phone calls during restricted hours and does not bar electronic communications like emails or text messages.
Senator Rodriguez, the bill sponsor, said the statute’s intent was to prohibit calls at unreasonable hours; some Florida-based law firms had interpreted the statute to prohibit emails and texts during the same period. The committee’s delete-all amendment removed a specified exemption and modified the bill’s effective date from July 1, 2025, to upon becoming law; the adopted language also included preamble clauses recognizing the limited scope of current law.
Supporters from industry groups waived in on the amendment and the bill: the Self Storage Association, the Florida Financial Services Association, and community association managers provided appearance records in favor. Committee members recorded no debate after public testimony and the committee reported the committee substitute favorably in a roll call vote.
Ending: The committee adopted the revised language and sent CS/SB 232 forward; sponsors said the change simply clarifies existing law to reduce compliance uncertainty for servicers and associations.
