Senator Mike Fasano Announces Passage of Priority Legislation As 2008 Legislative Session Ends

State Senator Mike Fasano announces that his priority legislation for the 2008 session has passed both the House and the Senate and is awaiting the governor’s consideration.  Bills pertaining to foreclosure fraud, public adjusters, teen modeling, insurance reform, disabled veterans and sexual violence all received favorable votes in the Florida Legislature this session.

Senator Fasano’s priorities included:

· Foreclosure fraud – provides additional protections to homeowners facing foreclosure by requiring foreclosure fraud consultants to take additional steps to ensure that the rights of homeowners are protected.
· Public adjusters – a top reform that came out of Senator Fasano’s participation on the Senate Select Committee on Property Insurance Accountability, this bill provides additional standards that will regulate the profession of public adjusters to further benefit consumers who may need these services.
· Teen modeling/ Material Harmful to Minors – creates a felony for those who lure minors into believing they are entering into a legitimate modeling career and then sell photographs of the children to online subscribers.  This bill was inspired by a Tampa-based internet site, similar to others in the state, which market photos of minors in skimpy clothing and provocative poses.
· Insurance reform – provides additional protections to insurance consumers, specifically the extension of the Citizens rate freeze until July 1, 2009, increased penalties for violations of unfair and deceptive trade practices, repealed the practice of arbitration and extended the prohibition on the practice of ‘use and file” until December 31, 2009.
· Businesses owned by disabled veterans – provides assistance to those veterans who are returning from active duty, are disabled and unable to return to their original work, and who wish to open a business that contract with the state.  Provides a preference for qualified disabled veterans-owned businesses who bid to provide services to the state.
· Victims of sexual violence – requires that certain employers must provide up to three days of leave to victims of sexual violence to deal with medical, legal, court and other related issues pertaining to the crime.

“I am very pleased that these important bills will soon be presented to Governor Crist for his signature,” Senator Fasano states.  “Insurance consumers, crime victims, disabled veterans and those facing foreclosure will all receive added protections when these bills are signed into law.  I applaud Senate President Pruitt for his leadership to ensure that these needed pieces of legislation will soon be delivered to the governor for final action.”