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County attorney to finalize letter to Legislature on Senate Bill 180 after board feedback
Summary
Seminole County's county attorney circulated a draft letter raising concerns about Senate Bill 180 and will finalize the letter incorporating board feedback; commissioners directed distribution to bill sponsors, leadership, committee staff, the county delegation and local municipal associations.
Seminole County's county attorney briefed the Board of County Commissioners Sept. 23 on a draft letter outlining county concerns and practical recommendations related to Senate Bill 180 and reported that requested edits were incorporated.
County Attorney Kate LaTour told commissioners she had received feedback from each commissioner and that changes were largely wording and formatting adjustments, with one substantive clarification expanding the recommended process for pre-suit requirements so property owners damaged in a hurricane could request relief under a new code section.
"That was probably the most substantive change, which really was just to further explain what we envisioned a property owner would do if they were damaged by a hurricane and wanted to come to the county and asked for a waiver or relief from a new code section that wasn't in place at the time of the storm," LaTour said.
Commissioners discussed where the finalized letter should be sent. Commissioner Constantine recommended sending it to the bill sponsors and cosponsors, legislative leadership, committee chiefs of staff and the Florida Association of Counties. Other commissioners also suggested copying the county delegation and the Florida League of Cities; one commissioner noted that the county previously circulated an earlier draft to the Florida Association of Counties and had received positive feedback.
Commissioners also discussed language in the draft regarding case-by-case relief. One commissioner said the county should move away from ad hoc, case-by-case decisions in post-storm situations; LaTour said she would rephrase the language to describe a standards-based process with criteria applicants must meet rather than an open-ended case-by-case process.
LaTour said she had the board's direction and would finalize the letter and circulate it for signature. The county will determine recipients consistent with the board's guidance and send the letter to legislators, committee staff and municipal associations as directed.
Ending: The county attorney will finalize the letter incorporating the board's edits and return it to the board for signature and distribution to sponsors, leadership, committee staff, the county delegation, the Florida Association of Counties and the Florida League of Cities.
