Mike Silvers, CPRC, Silvers Systems Inc. and FRSA Director of Technical Services
A short time ago I received a somewhat cryptic message from FRSA’s lobbyist Chris Dawson that said, “Breaking News. Mike – your 25% rule mod may be getting fast-tracked.” A little background will help you understand why I described the message as cryptic.
The mod Chris was referring to was one of FRSA’s 2023 Florida Building Code (FBC) 8th Edition Modification R9883 (see inset), which was one of 29 modifications (mods) that we submitted during this code revision cycle. Chris not only moves our positions forward with legislators, but he also regularly discusses them with lobbyists for other stakeholders such as the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA). So, I concluded that he must have gotten word that someone would be supporting our modification. But still the fast-tracked part left me somewhat confused (an ever-increasing condition as the years go by). It was late afternoon and I decided my curiosity could wait until the next day.
Later that evening, I received an email from Will Rabb, a journalist for the Insurance Journal a widely-read publication covering the insurance industry. Will had recently interviewed me for a couple of articles he wrote concerning the “Free Roof Syndrome” and the effects it was having on Florida’s property insurance markets. Will’s email said, “The Governor has called the special session and it specifically says changes to the building code will be on the agenda. Any thoughts? Seems odd, since the Building Commission normally reviews code changes….”
Attached to Will’s email was a very official looking document with a very large and bold: PROCLAMATION across the top and at the bottom, with Governor DeSantis’s very large and bold signature. Towards the bottom of what turned out to be the order for a May 23, Special Session of the Legislature to address the state’s property insurance issues, was language that stated: Read more.
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