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Panel approves bill requiring homeowner associations to retain recordings of open meetings for six months
Summary
SB 1039 would require condominium and planned community association boards that record open meetings to retain an unedited copy for at least six months and to provide an unedited copy to any member on request; the Senate Government Committee approved the bill as amended by voice and roll call.
The Senate Committee on Government approved SB 1039, sponsored by Senator John Kavanaugh, which requires condominium unit owners associations and planned community associations that record meetings open to members to retain an unedited copy of that recording for at least six months and to make it available to any association member upon request.
Senator Kavanaugh said the bill was driven by constituent complaints and clarified the measure does not require associations to record meetings; rather, it sets a retention-and-access standard when a board chooses to record. The committee adopted an amendment clarifying the retention requirement applies only to recordings of meetings that are open to members and exempting executive sessions.
Joe Klima, a resident who described a dispute with his association and said his requested recording had been destroyed within 24 hours, testified for the bill. "I sent an email. Please save me a copy of the tape. I got an email back on Monday. You're not entitled to the tape," Klima recounted in testimony, describing the local management company's response. Brian Lynx, president of a property-management trade association, said his organization supported the bill and described the current industry practice as inconsistent: "Keeping them for 6 months ... we're for this bill and we thank you for bringing it and working through the stakeholder process."
Committee members praised the bill as a modest transparency measure and moved it forward. The committee recorded a 6-0 vote with one member not voting and adopted the sponsor's amendment. SB 1039 now advances with a due-pass recommendation.
