CS/CS/HB 423 (LaMarca) does the following:

•Increases the minimum hours of training required in multifamily training programs for a fire safety inspector to qualify to take the building inspector or plans examiner certification exam

•Allows those that have completed a four-year internship certification program with a private provider (instead of with a local government) to qualify to take the building inspector or plans examiner certification exam

•Prohibits the Florida Building Code Administrators and Inspectors Board from requiring employment with a local government as a condition for the issuance of a provisional certificate

•Clarifies that applicants that use private providers can only be charged permit fees based on the costs actually incurred by the local government to process the permit

•Requires that local governments give private providers equal access to permitting and inspection documents

•Requires building officials to issue occupancy or completion certificates within 10 days of a "deemed granted" certificate

•Allows an owner, builder or an association of owners located in Florida that has a valid building permit issued by a local government for a fee to bring a civil action under certain circumstances 

•Provides that a local government may not prohibit or restrict a property owner to obtain a building permit to demolish any single-family residential structure located in certain flood hazard areas provided that the permit otherwise complies with applicable building code requirements.

CS/CS/HB 423 passed the House (113-0) and the Senate (38-0) and is awaiting action by the Governor. (Branch)