Next week will be a critical week in our state’s history. The Florida House and the Florida Senate will both take up versions of the foreclosure “reform” legislation that is currently snaking its way through the Capitol. For those of you that will be contacting your elected leaders, the only question you need to ask them is:
“Before you vote on this foreclosure bill, have you talked to judges in your district?”
This really is the only question you need to ask because any one that answers this question honestly will vote against this bill. The bill is a grab bag of pieces and parts, not supported by legitimate facts, and will do little to address the problems asserted.
Some of the testimony made about the legislation in the various committees thus far have been entirely inaccurate or grossly misleading. For instance, it is asserted that there is an impediment to clearing abandoned homes from the docket, and that this legislation will do something to address this alleged problem. That is flat out untrue. If a property were abandoned, whether the bank got service on all defendants or not, they could publish and get a judgment in a matter of 120 days or so using the existing laws. To suggest that there is somehow a CRISIS that needs to be addressed with new legislation if again, FLAT OUT UNTRUE.
I urge legislators to ignore all the special interest groups that are pushing this mess forward and SPEAK TO JUDGES. The judges are on the front lines of this PROBLEM AND THIS BILL IS NOT THE SOLUTION
richter.garrett.web@flsenate.
alexander.jd.web@flsenate.gov,
bennett.mike.web@flsenate.gov,
gaetz.don.web@flsenate.gov, hays.alan.web@flsenate.gov,
margolis.gwen.web@flsenate.gov
oelrich.steve.web@flsenate.gov
Chair:
Senator Garrett Richter (R)
Vice Chair:
Senator Christopher L. “Chris” Smith (D)
Senator JD Alexander (R)
Senator Michael S. “Mike” Bennett (R)
Senator Mike Fasano (R)
Senator Don Gaetz (R)
Senator Alan Hays (R)
Senator Gwen Margolis (D)
Senator Joe Negron (R)
Senator Steve Oelrich (R)
Senator Eleanor Sobel (D)
