Last week's post about the Florida Legislature considering massive deregulation as a budgetary strategy resulted in lots of discussion and commenting - and rather than respond to each item individually, we're providing the following information so anyone with a strong opinion on this issue can give that opinion where it counts: to their representatives in the Florida Legislature itself.

To get the email or phone number or mailing address of your representatives in the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives, go here and input either your zip code or your mailing address. 

The Florida Deregulation Bill Moves Forward - Track it as HB 5055

In our earlier post, the bill was gaining momentum in the House but it was still in subcommittee.  Now, it's official over 300 pages and it's HB 5055, which you track online at the government website. 

On Friday, it moved to the Economic Affairs Committee of the Florida House. You may also want to contact those serving on the Florida Economic Affairs Committee.   

Read the text of this proposed law here.  Here is the summary of what this bill intends to do, according to the Florida House (the official description of the proposed law):

Deregulation of Professions and Occupations: Deletes provisions establishing DBPR's Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, & Mobile Homes, Florida Board of Auctioneers, Board of Employee Leasing Companies, Board of Landscape Architecture, Board of Professional Geologists, & Board of Professional Surveyors & Mappers, Motor Vehicle Repair Advisory Council, & Regulatory Council of Community Association Managers; deletes provisions for regulation of yacht & ship brokers, auctioneers, talent agencies, community association managers, athlete agents, employee leasing companies, home inspectors, mold assessors & remediators, professional surveyors & mappers, persons practicing hair braiding, hair wrapping, or body wrapping, interior designers, landscape architects, professional geologists, professional fundraising consultants & solicitors, water vending machines & operators, health studios, ballroom dance studios, commercial telephone sellers & salespersons, movers & moving brokers, certain outdoor theaters, certain business opportunities, motor vehicle repair shops, sellers of travel, contracts with sales representatives involving commissions, & television picture tubes; revises name & membership of Board of Architecture; revises license classifications of public lodging establishments; deletes DBPR's authority to enforce & ensure compliance of certain provisions relating to condominiums, cooperatives, vacation plans & timeshares, & mobile homes.

Of importance, since this bill is considered to be budgetary in nature it will not need to follow the more well known path of substantive legislation - which means it can get passed a lot faster than the substantive proposals. 

If you want to have your opinion heard by the Powers that Be, then speak now, speak soon -- the proposed effective date of this bill is July 1, 2011.